


Coming Clean

by thebaddestwolf



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Missing Scene, Romance, multi chapt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-08
Updated: 2015-08-03
Packaged: 2018-04-03 11:53:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 24,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4099960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebaddestwolf/pseuds/thebaddestwolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It almost didn’t seem real -- that he’d finally, <em>finally</em>, told her, that he’d kissed her -- that she’d asked him to. After the mess he’d made of everything, all the self-sabotage and self-loathing and other self-inflicted pain, the solution boiled down to something as simple as coming clean to her.</p><p>A missing scene fic, starting after the S6 finale study room kiss. Spoilers, obviously.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The plan is for this to be 3 chapters, but I can't commit to that just yet.
> 
> Thanks to bethanyactually for the beta!

The stars seemed slightly brighter than usual as Jeff walked across the quad toward the parking lot, trailing behind the rest of his friends.

Spirits were high, despite tonight being a goodbye of sorts. He couldn’t help but smile as Britta rolled her eyes at the dean, who turned away from her with a flourish, like he was flipping long locks of hair over his shoulder. Frankie shook her head at them, then waved goodbye and headed toward her car.

Jeff lifted his hand in a daze, distracted by a peal of giggles coming from Annie, who was doubled over and clutching Abed’s elbow. His smile widened and he scrubbed a hand down his face in an attempt to wipe the goofy look away, ignoring the way his fingers lingered briefly on his lips.

It almost didn’t seem real -- that he’d finally, _finally_ , told her, that he’d kissed her -- that she’d asked him to. After the mess he’d made of everything, all the self-sabotage and self-loathing and other self-inflicted pain, the solution boiled down to something as simple as coming clean to her.

It didn’t fix all of his problems -- none of them, actually -- but it was like he had a grasp on them now and all he had to do was pull the thread and his troubles would begin to unwind. Because she believed he would be okay, and he believed in her.

Jeff was shaken from his thoughts when the dean said goodnight and got into his car. It was just the four of them left, apparently heading toward Britta’s beat-up sedan. Somewhere in the back of his mind Jeff registered that he’d parked in the opposite direction, but that didn’t stop him from following in their wake.

Then Annie turned, peering over her shoulder at him with a small smile. She raised her eyebrows and it was ridiculous, really, how she could look hopeful and tentative and sultry in one single glance.

It was such a small movement, but it stopped him in his tracks. Jeff smirked, shoving his hands in his pockets, and nodded toward his car. She ducked her head and even in the flickering glow of the parking lot lights he could see the blush spread across her cheeks. She said something to Britta and Abed, who exchanged meaningful looks, and walked back to Jeff.

It was embarrassing, the way his heart sped up with each step she took. He looked past her to distract himself, only to find Britta’s face plastered with a knowing grin and Abed giving him a not-so-subtle thumbs up. Ugh. Even now that he was a professor, Greendale still felt a lot like high school.

He attempted to scowl at them, but it couldn’t have had much effect based on the laughter and wolf whistle that followed. Groaning, he spun around and stalked off toward his car, relaxing when he heard her heels pick up speed beside him.

“So mature, right?”

She smiled up at him, eyes hesitant as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Hah, yeah,” he said, fishing his keys out of his pocket as the car came into view. “Right.”

They stayed quiet as Jeff drove out of the parking lot, both deep in their own thoughts. At a red light he glanced over at her, mesmerized by the glow of headlights streaking across her face. She squinted at him, lips quirking in amusement, and he fought the urge to kiss the corner of her smile.

“So,” he said instead. “Do you want to grab a drink, or…”

“Nah. Too loud.” She scrunched up her nose, fiddling with the hem of her blazer. “I mean, we should probably talk, right?”

Jeff nodded. “Sure. Yeah.”

She’s right, he thought, as he navigated to his apartment. They should talk, but here they were, silence stretching between them. And he didn’t know what there was left to say, really -- he’d laid it all out back in the study room during the most terrifying and exhilarating 90 seconds of his life.

But she hadn’t talked much, other to suggest that he kiss her -- the best combination of words ever strung together in the history of the English language, as far as he was concerned -- so maybe there were things she wanted to say, too.

His hands tightened on the steering wheel as he pulled up to his building. He hoped he wasn’t out of scotch.

***

Jeff kept his eyes on the drink in his hands, swirling the amber liquid around and coating the inside of the glass. He was sitting on the couch hunched over, elbows resting on his knees, and through his peripheral vision he could see her picking at her cuticles.

“Tonight was weird,” she said, laughing a bit. “Like, weirder than usual.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. I made it weird.” He groaned as the realization hit him. “Oh god -- I’m Abed now.”

“Come on, no you’re not. And Abed’s not weird. He’s… unique.”

“Unique is just a euphemism for weird.”

“Jeff!” She swatted at his knee and it shook him out of the gloomy state of mind he’d been in. He glanced at her and felt more fortified by the bemused look on her face than he did by his drink. After placing the glass on the coffee table, he leaned back against the cushions.

“Sorry. I just--” He shrugged. “I don’t know how to do this.”

“Do what?”

“This.” He gestured between them. “Talk.”

“But... we’re talking right now.”

“You know what I mean. Like, _talking_ talking.”

Annie sighed and leaned back against the couch, too, kicking off her heels and tucking one leg beneath her.

“For someone who puts on such a blasé, carefree persona, you’re really great at making things more complicated than they need to be, you know that?”

He rolled his eyes. “Sorry, Annie, not everyone has their own personal color-coded how-to manual for social interaction.”

“And the implication is that I do?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised.”

She scoffed and shifted on the couch so that her knee pressed into his thigh. And maybe it was the scotch, or the warmth of her touch, but he couldn’t stop himself from resting his hand on her leg. Her eyes drifted down, to where his thumb was smoothing along her trousers, and when she met his gaze again she looked, well, he wasn’t sure, but she seemed less annoyed.

“I meant it, you know. You’re gonna be fine.” She smiled and nudged his arm with her elbow. “If you stop getting in your own way, that is.”

Jeff sighed. “I don’t think I know how to do that.”

Biting her lip, she looked up at him through her lashes. “I can help,” she said, softly. “I mean, if you want.”

“That depends -- does that help come in the form of an annotated report in three-ring binder?” He flashed a grin at her as she laughed and punched his shoulder.

“Jerk. Just for that, it might.”

Chuckling, he propped his feet on the coffee table and rested his arm on the cushion behind her. Maybe she was right about the whole talking thing. This, whatever they were doing right now, was easy and he already felt a little better. But then he remembered.

“Well, the offer to help is all well and good, but you’re leaving.”

“Oh god, not this again.”

He frowned. “What?”

“You’re acting like I’m running off to join Troy and Levar Burton on a schooner somewhere halfway around the world.” She threw her hands up in exasperation. “It’s just for the summer and I’ll only be two time zones away. And it’s 2015, Jeff -- there’s, like, texting and Skype and stuff.”

“It’s not the same.”

“Well, tough,” she said, voice somehow both stern and teasing. “Things change. I shouldn’t have to tell you that. And… not all change is bad, right?”

She smiled, apparently resting her case, and reached behind her to pull his arm around her shoulders. Jeff grinned, too, shifting closer as he ran his fingers up and down her arm.

“Hmm…” He pretended to mull it over, fixing her with a playful smirk. “I dunno, can you give me an example of a not-bad change?”

Annie shook her head and laid her hand on his chest for a moment before her restless fingers began tracing patterns on his sweater. He pulled her closer and she gasped a little, belying the taunting look in her eye.

“Jeff…” Her eyes flitted down to his lips. “Don’t make me ask twice in one night.”

He slipped his hand beneath her blazer and squeezed her waist, leaning in so close her features blurred.

“Well, you didn’t ask so much as tell me what to do,” he said, wondering why he was still talking instead of just kissing her. His heart hammered in his chest as she licked her lips. “You were kinda bossy, actually.”

Annie huffed, breath puffing against his cheek, and slid her hand up from his chest to curl her fingers around his neck.

“Shut up. You know you like it when I tell you what to do.”

“Pfft, no I don’t . But you do have the occasional good idea, I’ll give you that.”

She shook her head again, or tried to anyway -- they were so close together that she basically just nuzzled his nose.

“Ugh, Jeff. For once can you just--”

She squeaked a bit as he pressed his lips to hers, fingers ghosting up her jaw while he kissed her as tenderly as he had back in the study room.

It was funny, the way touching her made all other sounds dissipate -- the whoosh of cars driving by outside and the muffled bass of his neighbor’s music and the hum of the refrigerator faded away, and all he could hear was his own pulse in his ears, the quiet gasps she made as he moved his mouth over hers.

He had never kissed someone so gently before. He’d never wanted to -- Jeff Winger had no use for chaste PG-13 closed-mouth pecks. But with her all the rules had changed, and his stomach actually fluttered when he felt her tongue slide along his bottom lip.

As Jeff tilted his head to deepen the kiss he was hit with a powerful sense of deja-vu, taking him back to the last time she’d slipped her tongue into his mouth that night nearly six years back. Only then he’d kissed her because she was staying. Now, well.

He grew more frantic after that, pushing her blazer off her shoulders and then wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her against him and groaning when she moaned into his mouth. Their position was awkward, with her leg still tucked beneath her and her knee digging into his hip, so when Annie broke away and laid back on the couch he grinned because, for all her wit and intellect, this was the best fucking idea she’d ever had.

Jeff took his time crawling over her, letting his gaze drag over the rapid rise and fall of her chest, the rosy flush spread across her cheeks. She sort of rolled her eyes at him and tugged on his belt loops to bring him closer. He fell onto her and, when she parted her legs to make room for his hips, he couldn’t help but rut against her and, shit, she felt _amazing_.

“God, Annie,” he said, kissing the side of her neck.

“Shh, come here.”

There was need in her voice and he wanted to draw more out of her, so he kissed his way across her collarbone and up the side of her jaw. She grasped at his sweater, making these little sounds at the back of her throat, and, fuck, they weren’t really even kissing and this topped the list of the best makeout moments of his entire life.

When he finally met her lips again the kiss was sloppy and hungry, all nipping teeth and teasing tongues. Annie arched against him just as he snaked a hand between them to squeeze her breast and it felt so, _so_ , fucking good that he had to pull back to look at her, to see if she felt it too.

He almost wished he hadn’t, though, because her mouth was swollen and her eyes were dark and all he wanted was to get lost in her forever. But she was leaving next week.

Fuck.

It was an out of body experience, moving away from her. But it felt like a necessity -- a last-ditch attempt at self-preservation -- as they untangled their arms and legs until they were once again sitting side by side on the couch.

“Sorry,” Annie said, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Got a little carried away there.”

“Me too.” He nudged her with his elbow and smiled. “I just-- well, like you said, it’s been a weird day.”

“Yeah,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder. “It really has. Good weird, though.”

“Right.” He put his arm around her. “Good weird.”

They stayed like that for a while, leaning against each other in contented silence, until Annie stifled a long yawn. Jeff glanced at his watch.

“Oh shit, it’s late,” he said. “Do you want me to drive you home?”

“I dunno…” Annie peered up at him, biting her bottom lip. “You’ve been drinking.”

He frowned, eyeing his barely touched scotch before finally catching on.

“You’re right,” he said, fixing her with the most serious look he could muster. “I _have_ been drinking. So, you should probably stay.”

“Yeah, guess so.” She nodded, eyes gleaming. “Safety first.”

***

Annie Edison standing before him in nothing but his white t-shirt had long been one of Jeff’s more pervasive fantasies, but somehow the reality of it surpassed even his best daydreams.

She almost looked sheepish as she walked into his bedroom with her neatly folded clothes in hand. Jeff watched as she placed them on his dresser and stood on her tiptoes to see herself in the mirror above it.

“Does your mirror _really_ have to be _this_ high?” She jumped a little, making the oversized shirt swish against her thighs. “I can barely see my face.”

“It’s not high, you’re just freakishly tiny.”

He took off his sweater and let it fall to the floor, next to his crumpled jeans. Then he pulled back the covers and sat on the bed, watching her as she inspected his lotions and hair products.

Jeff leaned against the pillows and clasped his hands behind his head, thinking how it was crazy that most of her dresses showed much more skin than was on display now, but -- hand to god -- she had never looked hotter.

Maybe this whole sleepover thing wasn’t such a good idea after all.

“Be honest,” she said, turning to him with a bottle of La Mer in her hands. She paused, eyes drifting down to his boxer briefs for an instant before she blushed and looked away. “How much do you spend on skincare a month?”

“I don’t keep track.” He grinned at her as she raised an eyebrow. “Hey, you can’t put a price on looking this good.”

“Ugh, you’re obnoxious.”

“She said while wearing my t-shirt.”

Annie rolled her eyes and put the lotion down, then walked around to the other side of the bed and climbed under the duvet. Jeff slouched against the pillows as she raised her arms to put her hair in a ponytail, pulling the shirt taut across her chest, white fabric dimpling around her nipples.

He cleared his throat and made a mental note to tell his cardiologist he could cancel the routine stress test -- his heart has got to be in great shape to survive a braless Annie Edison in his bed.

“What time do you have to get up tomorrow?” she asked, tightening her ponytail and lying down.

“Um.” Jeff shook his head as he tried to remember how to form words. He usually woke up early on Saturdays to jog before meeting his trainer at the gym, but suddenly adding muscle mass has slipped down a rung on his priority list. “Whenever. I don’t have any solid plans.”

“Me neither.” She smiled and turned onto her side as Jeff switched off the lamp and laid on his back. “Well, I told Abed we’d go shopping for travel stuff, but we didn’t set a time or anything.”

“Good,” he said. “No alarms, then.”

Silence descended around them along with the darkness, and Jeff got this heated, restless feeling, like he wanted to pull her to him and pick up where they left off in the living room. But her words from earlier stopped him -- the ones about regret -- and while he knew he would never regret something happening between them, he needed to make sure she wouldn’t either.

She said she’d only regret their kiss for a week, but he knew her better than that. Sure, she was just as culpable for their sofa escapades as he was, but he didn’t want to add a misguided pity-fueled fling to the countless woes that kept her up at night.

After everything she’d been through -- pills and parents and bullies -- she’d fought against the current and carved out this brilliant, bright future for herself. She deserved to go to D.C. with a clean slate. And, though he’d hate to lose her, he’d hate her losing sight of her dreams even more.

“Jeff,” Annie whispered. “You still awake?”

He rolled onto his side to face her.

“You were that kid who kept everyone up all night during sleepovers, weren’t you?”

“I’m choosing to ignore that comment.”

“I’ll take that as confirmation.”

“Ugh, you!”

He caught her hand just before it reached his shoulder and they playfully struggled against each other for a moment before she dropped her arm to the bed. Their hands stayed joined.

“I was just gonna say that you changed all our lives too -- for the better. I can’t imagine what these last few years would’ve been like without you guys.” She laughed, and in the dim light he could just make out the smile on her face. “And to think we only met because you wanted to get into Britta’s pants.”

He chuckled. “Well, it’s not the first time a man’s horny intentions resulted in something great. They say Buzz Aldrin became an astronaut because he thought it’d increase his chances of getting laid.”

“Ew, gross.” She wrinkled her nose, then raised an intrigued eyebrow. “Wait, really?”

“I have no idea.”

“And the lies keep on coming.”

“Not lies. I like to think of them as tall tales.”

“Now who’s using euphemisms?”

With his free hand he poked her ribs, making her giggle and squirm, and he used the opportunity to inch closer.

“I wasn’t lying earlier, you know,” he said when her laughter had died down. “What I said in the study room. It’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately.”

Annie dropped her gaze to their clasped hands, brow knit. When she spoke he could hardly hear her.

“Why did it take me going away for you to tell me?”

There was hurt there, written out across her features, and it struck him that he’d do anything not to make her feel that way again.

“I don’t know. Because I’m an idiot.” He shrugged and ran his thumb over her knuckles. “Because… I was scared.”

“And now?”

She met his eyes again, face full of something that looked an awful lot like hope. He wanted to tell her that now he was still scared -- terrified, even -- of losing her, of being with her, of holding her back, of letting her go. But, for whatever reason, he swallowed those words down.

“Now it’s nearly 3 a.m. and my slumber party guest is keeping me up.”

“Jeff.” She sighed. “What am I going to do with you?”

He flashed her a wide grin and closed his eyes. “Sleep, hopefully.”

She laughed and then was quiet for a while, but he could still feel the weight of her gaze on him.

“You didn’t let me go, you know,” she whispered, threading their fingers together. “Well, maybe you thought you did, but I never went anywhere.” She squeezed his hand. “I’m still here.”

Jeff opened his eyes and the look on her face made a heavy weariness settle over him that wouldn’t be helped by sleep.

With his free hand he reached out to graze his fingers along her cheekbone, then leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss.

“I’m glad,” he breathed against her lips.

Annie nestled closer to him, tucking her head under his chin as he curled an arm around her back. He waited to hear her breathing grow slow and steady before he drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta: bethanyactually, who also made this [amazing text post meme](http://bethanyactually.tumblr.com/post/121186712594/jeff-x-annie-appreciation-week-day-3-favorite) that I totally stole a line from. :D

Jeff smiled to himself as Annie settled next to him on the park bench, stirring the pinkish-purple drink with her straw.

“What is that again?” he asked, stretching his legs out and crossing them at the ankle.

“A venti iced passion tea lemonade.” She grinned and took a sip. “It’s my favorite summer drink. Want to try it?”

“Thanks, but I’ll pass. If it doesn’t have caffeine, I’m not interested.”

“Is that why you’re drinking hot espresso water?”

Jeff narrowed his eyes at her as he took a sip. “It’s called an Americano.”

“Well, whatever it’s called, it sounds disgusting,” she said, lifting her chin.

“I don’t drink it for the taste.” He smirked at her and jostled her elbow with his own. “And I probably wouldn’t need such a strong pick-me-up if a certain chatterbox hadn’t kept me up half the night.”

She grinned, glancing down at the drink in her hands, and Jeff got that feeling again -- the warm one that settled beneath his ribs and made everything seem a little less bleak.

He was dragging the morning out and he knew it. When he’d woken up a couple hours earlier the sun had been streaming in through his bedroom window and she was already in the living room, fully dressed and typing away on her phone.

She’d grinned at him and called him sleepyhead, and he really must have been groggy because he hadn’t even attempted to hide the smile that spread across his face. It was his idea to stop at Starbucks before dropping her off at home, and if she’d noticed that he’d skipped over the closest location she hadn’t let on.

It’s just that this one was near the park, he reasoned with himself, and it was a nice day out and she was far too pale, really, some sunlight and vitamin D would do them both good. Of course in actuality he only wanted to spend more time with her -- because there were still faint indents on her cheek from his pillow and, when he tried, he could imagine that this was his reality for a second. That he was someone who went to bed with her, and woke up with her, and got coffee with her. That this was their life, together.

He’d never admit it, not out loud, but it was the mundanity of it that he was craving most. Little things, like standing close together while they waited in the coffee line, forearms brushing as they joked about how the mandatory calorie counts had taken the joy out of eating pastries; like placing his hand on her lower back to move her out of the way of the drooling toddler careening toward them, and keeping it there even after the kid was scooped up by his mother.

An image hit him then -- one where Annie was picking up a little blond boy with her blue eyes and his mischievous grin -- and Jeff let his hand fall from her back because, fuck, he was even more far gone than he’d thought.

But even after that realization he couldn’t help but suggest they enjoy their drinks outside, and judging from the way Annie pressed her lips together when she agreed, she wasn’t in such a hurry to go home anyway.

“I think Abed’s worried,” she said, reading the text that had just vibrated her phone. “He’s asking if I’m fine or _fine_.”

“Huh?”

“Oh, the second one is F-Y-N-E.”

“Ah, of course.”

She tapped out her response and slid the phone back into her pocket. Jeff couldn’t tear his gaze from her as she closed her eyes and lifted her face up to the warm spring sun.

“So,” he said, fiddling with his drink’s cardboard sleeve. “Which is it?”

Her eyes slid open and she turned toward him, studying his face for a moment with a small smile. “The one with a Y.”

***

Abed tilted his head as he inspected a navy blue suitcase. He lifted the handle, lowered it, and lifted it again before stepping to the side and narrowing his eyes. Then he shook his head and pushed the handle back into place.

Jeff groaned. “What’s wrong with _this_ one?”

“The blue is too pedestrian,” Abed said, pointing at the offending color. “It doesn’t align with my narrative.”

“Abed, for the last time, you don’t _have_ a narrative.” Jeff crossed his arms over his chest. “What you have is a need for is an FAA-approved piece of luggage that will enable you to transport your belongings from one place to another. We’re in a travel store. Literally any one of these suitcases will do. Just pick one.”

Abed shrugged. “It’s not that simple, Jeff. There’s a lot to consider. Among them: who am I when I step onto that plane, and who will I be when I get off? I have to find a suitcase that will be able to seamlessly and fluidly bridge the gap between those two Abeds, and to convey the gravitas of their emotional and geographical voyage.” He raised a finger in the air. “Also, it needs an expandable zipper.”

“And Annie says I overcomplicate things,” Jeff grumbled.

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

Abed wandered off, down another aisle of seemingly identical suitcases, and Jeff sighed.

It had made perfect sense when he’d offered to take Abed and Annie to the mall to shop for travel supplies. He’d driven Annie straight home from Starbucks, even though her car was still in the school parking lot, because she really had to pee after her venti iced whatever. And she didn’t want to use the shop’s icky public bathroom -- her words -- which sparked a heated debate over whether Greendale’s restrooms were cleaner than Starbucks’ that lasted the whole ride back to her place.

When they got there Abed was already sitting on the stoop, hands on his knees and smiling like he’d been expecting them all along. So, after Annie had run upstairs and changed her clothes, Jeff had decided he may as well drive them to the mall because he was running low on cologne, anyway, and it wouldn’t hurt to kill two birds with one stone.

What he hadn’t considered was the extent to which his friends could turn a simple task into a convoluted clusterfuck, with Abed ranking the luggage by audience likability and Annie creating a lengthy comparison chart in her phone for each suitcase contender.

Jeff opened his Nordstrom bag and gazed at the bottle of Armani Code. There was alcohol in cologne, right?

“There you are!” Annie appeared in front of him out of nowhere, making him jump. “Okay -- I think I’ve narrowed it down to two. Will you do the final test lap with me to help decide?”

“Sure,” he said. “But once you choose, we’re leaving. Even if that means Abed has to hitchhike home.”

Annie rolled her eyes. “He’ll get there -- he just needs to go through his process. Here, take this one first.”

He took the silver, polka-dotted suitcase from her, heart stuttering as their fingers briefly brushed together. They set off on a slow lap around the perimeter aisles, one that she must’ve walked at least 20 times already as she assessed every product in the damn store.

“You sure about these colors?” he asked, glancing at the black suitcase trailing behind her. “They’re a bit quiet for you.”

“Well, my duffle bag is pink and I don’t want everything to be _too_ bright,” she said. “I mean, I’m not Kimmy Schmidt.”

“I still haven’t seen that.”

“Ugh, you’re the worst.” She glared at him, or tried to, anyway -- he could see the underlying grin. “Okay, time to switch.”

They swapped suitcases and this time he covered her hand with his in the process, a touch that was rewarded with a blushing smile. Jeff looked at his shoes as they continued to walk, trying to hide what was probably a very similar look on his own face.

It was stupid, the way they were both being so bashful today -- especially considering their round of heavy petting last night. He was acting like he was 14 instead of 40, hanging out at the mall and flirting with the girl he liked. What would they do tomorrow -- go mini golfing and drink a milkshake out of two straws?

(He blanched when he realized that actually sounded kinda nice.)

“So, what do you think?” Annie stopped and it took him a moment to notice they were back to where they started.

“Uhh,” he floundered -- suitcases were the last thing on his mind -- “this one has a smoother roll, but I think you should go with the silver one. The hard case will keep all your stuff from getting crushed -- those baggage-claim handlers are not gentle.”

“Oh, that’s a good point.” She stepped back from the suitcase to get a better look at it and Jeff fought off an eyeroll. She and Abed were spending _way_ too much time together. “So definitely this one?”

“Absolutely.”

“Wait a minute.” She folded her arms and frowned at him. “Are you just arbitrarily choosing one so that we can leave faster?”

“What? No.” He folded his arms, too. “If I know you Annie, and I think I do, you’re not going to D.C. without at least three stuffed animals in tow, and you won’t pack those in your carry-on because you’ll be too embarrassed by the possibility that they’ll search your bag at security and wonder why a grown woman is traveling -- without a child -- but with a stuffed kangaroo. Besides,” he stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder, grazing his thumb along her collarbone, “ _you_ can’t get a _black_ suitcase.”

She pressed her lips together and glanced down for a moment. When she lifted her gaze to his eyes she was smiling and fiddling with a strand of hair.

“Really? You don’t think the one with polka dots is juvenile?”

“No,” he said. “I think it’s you.”

Annie covered his hand with hers and they stayed like that for a moment, lost in each other. Then they heard the approaching slap of sneakers on the linoleum.

“Found it!” Abed beamed, showing them the army green duffle bag slung over his shoulder. “It’s a duffle bag _with wheels_ \-- rugged, practical, and versatile. I can see it fitting into a number of different storylines.”

“That’s great, Abed!” Annie patted his arm and reached down to spin one of the wheels. “It suits you. And I think the audience will love it.”

He smiled. “Well, you’re not in my target demographic, but I appreciate the sentiment.”

“Alright.” Jeff clapped them both on the shoulder and began leading them toward the check out. “Let’s do some purchasing.”

“Okay,” Abed said. “But since this is so expensive I’ll probably experience some buyer's remorse. We’ll have to stop for ice cream to help me work through it.”

Jeff sighed, but when Annie looked at him over her shoulder with her wide, imploring eyes, the annoyance he’d been feeling was replaced with something else entirely. He slid his hand up to her neck and squeezed.

“Fine.”

(It turned out that stealing her spoon and eating a few bites of her black raspberry sorbet was even better than sharing a milkshake.)

***

The sun was low in the sky by the time they finally made it back to Greendale so Annie could pick up her car.

The lot was practically deserted, but Jeff parked in the next space over and turned off the engine. They all got out and he helped to load his friends’ new travel gear (Annie had picked up a neck pillow, a mini toiletry set, and a sleeping mask by the time they got to the register) into her trunk.

Then there was this moment when they were all sort of lingering there awkwardly, because all that was left to do was to drive to their respective homes but no one wanted to make the first move.

“Oh, I just remembered -- I left something in my locker,” Abed said, then turned to Jeff. “Thanks for taking us shopping. You coming to goodbye drinks on Thursday?”

“Yeah,” Jeff said, wondering if Abed had really forgotten something in his locker or if he was actually reading the room (or parking lot, as it were) for once in his life. “I’ll be there.”

“Cool. See you then.”

Annie gave him the school’s spare key and he was off, practically jogging across the parking lot.

Jeff felt awkwardness creep over him again, just standing there across from her, so he leaned against the side of her car. Annie mirrored his position, standing so close their arms touched.

“Sorry that took so long,” she said. “I know doing stuff like that isn’t your ideal Saturday. Or any day, probably.”

Jeff shrugged and smiled down at her. “There are worse ways to spend an afternoon.”

“Well, still.” She tilted her head, smiling right back, and linked their pinkies together like it was something they did all the time. “I think it meant a lot to Abed. He’s gonna miss you, you know.”

Nodding, he couldn’t help glancing down at their joined hands. He tightened his finger around hers.

“I’ll miss him too. But someone else ranks higher on my People Who Are Leaving That I’m Going To Miss list.”

Annie giggled and bumped her hip against him.

“You have a list?”

“Uh-huh.”

“That doesn’t sound like you.”

“Well, it’s not up to your standards, laminated and notarized or whatever.” He smirked as she rolled her eyes. “But it exists. Right up here.” He tapped his temple with his free hand.

“So who’s at the top?”

He shrugged. “That’s for me to know.”

“Hrmph.”

“Are you seriously being competitive about an imaginary list?”

“So now it’s imaginary?”

She turned toward him with a hand on her hip and he scowled. “What? When was it not imaginary?”

Annie smirked and raised her eyebrows and Jeff tilted his head back and groaned.

“You’re so easy,” she said, laughing. “I can’t believe there was a time when I was the gullible one.”

Jeff pushed off from the car and stood in front of her, threading the rest of their fingers together.

“You were never gullible,” he said. “I was just an asshole with an aversion to youthful optimism.”

“Yeah, you were.” Annie nodded slowly. “But you’re my asshole.”

She tugged on his belt loop and Jeff stepped closer, cradling her jaw with his free hand. She stood on her tiptoes and lifted her chin, but when he leaned in to kiss her she pressed her hand to his chest.

Jeff paused, fighting off nerves as he wondered if she’d changed her mind. She didn’t move away, though, and her breathing sounded shallow, so he waited and nuzzled his nose against her cheek.

“I’m at the top of the list, right?” she murmurred.

Jeff chuckled. “Yes.”

When he kissed her, he could feel that self-satisfied grin of hers against his lips. It reminded him of the countless times he’d seen that look on her face and wanted to kiss her but couldn’t, because of the million bullshit reasons why he’d told himself it was wrong.

There was something poetic about it -- that now he was ready to give her everything she deserved, right when she was leaving. But then again, maybe he only _thought_ he was ready _because_ she was leaving. Even Annie had noticed that he hadn’t worked up the courage to tell her how he felt until she had one foot out the door.

A pit formed in his stomach so he filled it with her, sliding his tongue past her lips and pushing her back against the car. Annie gasped and dropped his hand to loop her arms around his neck and pull herself closer to him. Jeff gripped her hips, holding her flush against him and groaning a bit as her breasts pressed into his chest.

He couldn’t help but sink his teeth into her bottom lip and tug, but when she moaned into his mouth he had to break away.

They just stared at each other for a long while, panting as reality fell back around them. Cars on the street were beeping, birds overhead were squawking, and, somewhere behind him, a door swung closed.

Jeff ducked his head and stepped back. Annie blushed and, judging by the look on her face when she glanced over his shoulder, Abed was walking toward them.

“I better go,” he said, needing to say goodbye while it was still just them. “Do you want to do something later this week? Just us?”

Annie pressed her lips together and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yeah.” She nodded. “That sounds nice.”

Jeff grinned and walked back to his car. As he pulled out of the lot he caught sight of Abed getting into her passenger seat and giving him another thumbs up.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta: bethanyactually
> 
> There's most likely one chapter left... still can't quite commit!

Jeff spent the rest of the weekend going about his usual routine, which largely consisted of high-impact workouts and smooth glasses of single-malt. (He doubled the former and cut back on the latter to make up for the ice cream he’d eaten on Saturday.)

Monday was usually his rest day but he woke up feeling restless, so he went on a long run down by the river, blasting some random Spotify playlist in his headphones and definitely not thinking of Annie.

Except he was thinking of her. Constantly. It was becoming a problem, really.

Before the other night -- before he’d told her -- he’d been skilled at tamping down his feelings, pushing them into the far recesses of his mind where even he couldn’t get at them. But now that he’d told her how he felt (mostly) and she seemed to feel the same (probably), it was like the mental barricade he’d built up had come tumbling down and he was defenseless against the onslaught of thoughts about her.

Like how the dress his neighbor had on would look way better on her, or how that fluffy dog across the street was her favorite breed, or how the pillow on the left side of the bed still kinda smelled like her perfume. (And how he especially liked that last thing.)

He didn’t want to be that guy. Hell, he _hated_ those guys -- the ones who wouldn’t shut up about their girlfriends.

Not that she was. Or even wanted to be.

 _Fuck_.

Eventually he gave up fighting against the constant thrum of _Annie_ and decided to focus on keeping these inner musings to himself. He succeeded for five hours.

Text, Jeff Winger, 9:08 p.m.  
You should sue Netflix. You totally have grounds for it.

Text, Annie Edison, 9:12 p.m.  
Huh?

Text, Jeff Winger, 9:13 p.m.  
This Kimmy character was definitely based on you.

Text, Annie Edison, 9:13 p.m.  
Ooh you’re watching?? And no she’s not!

Text, Jeff Winger, 9:13 p.m.  
Nothing else was on. And please -- you even have the exact same yellow sweater.

Text, Annie Edison, 9:14 p.m.  
Jeff, lots of people have that cardie. It’s mass produced.

Text, Jeff Winger, 9:14 p.m.  
Fine. But there are other similarities.

Text, Annie Edison, 9:14 p.m.  
Oh yeah? Like what.

Text, Jeff Winger, 9:14 p.m.  
She’s annoyingly stubborn, is determined to improve a shitty education system, and has a penchant for older men.

Text, Annie Edison, 9:15 p.m.  
Jeff! :O

Text, Jeff Winger, 9:15 p.m.  
>:-)

Text, Annie Edison, 9:15 p.m.  
Wait, what episode are you on?

Text, Jeff Winger, 9:15 p.m.  
I don’t know. 7 or 8.

Text, Annie Edison, 9:16 p.m.  
Aww, I would’ve watched with you.

Text, Jeff Winger, 9:17 p.m.  
I’ll save the rest. Free tomorrow?

It turned out she had a roommates dinner scheduled, one she couldn’t miss because it was the last one and because she basically had to be there to ensure no one ended up with food poisoning (again). So they agreed to grab a drink when she was done and then head to his place to finish his Netflix binge.

Maybe giving in wasn’t so bad after all.

***

Jeff was about to ring her buzzer when the door swung open and Annie stumbled out, panting like she’d just sprinted down the stairs.

“Woah,” he said, grabbing her shoulder so he wouldn’t topple off the steps. “I was gonna come up.”

“I know. I’ve been keeping an eye out for you from the window.” She smiled and smoothed her hair. “Britta and Abed are being annoying. They’re a little tipsy. They were teasing me about getting dressed up so I didn’t want you to have to deal with them.”

“Oh, well, thanks.” He looked down at his checked shirt, which was brand new, and scratched at his beard, which was freshly trimmed, and was thankful to have escaped Abed’s scrutiny. Annie gripped his arm to steady herself as she adjusted her heel, and he got his first real look at her. He was glad her attention was diverted because he was pretty sure his eyes bugged out of his head, cartoon-style. “Wow, um. You look great.”

“Thanks,” she said, looking up at him through her lashes. She finished with her shoe and they started off down the steps. “You put the idea in my head the other night, actually. I went back to the mall yesterday and bought, like, five new dresses. I figure just because I have a serious job doesn’t mean I have to look serious all the time, right?”

“Right,” he said, gesturing to where he’d parked his car. “And who says dresses can’t be serious?”

“Good point.” She smiled. “Though the serious ones probably have higher necklines.”

Jeff glanced at the neckline in question and inclined his head approvingly. “Well, I for one am glad we’re not being serious tonight.”

There was an awkward moment when they reached his car because Jeff hesitated, not knowing if he should open the door for her or not, since this was sort of a date but they hadn’t actually used the _word_ date and, jeez, were his palms always this sweaty? But Annie just rolled her eyes and put him out of his misery, pushing past him to get into the car.

They laughed the whole drive back to his apartment, where they’d decided to park since it was a short walk to his local bar. He almost rear-ended a car when Annie described the unique torture of forcing down Abed’s signature casserole, made with Splingles, buttered noodles, and a mystery ingredient that she could swear was Pop Rocks.

“I’m gonna miss him, though,” she said quietly, focused on pushing back her cuticles. “I hope he’ll be okay on his own.”

“Oh, he’ll be fine. He’s come a long way from his cereal-eating days when he lived in the dorms. I mean, there has to be some nutritional content in Pop Rocks, right?”

This got a laugh out her her, at least, and she was smiling when she met his gaze. “We’ll have to visit him. When I come back.”

Jeff nodded, mind snagging on that last word. “Sure,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to go to the Brooks Brothers on Rodeo Drive.”

***

“I made something for you, but before I get it out promise you won’t be mad, okay?”

Jeff eyed Annie suspiciously as he put his empty glass back on the bar. Her eyebrows were raised higher than usual and he knew he should be worried, but the scotch was warming his veins and the way her dress hugged her curves… was also warming his veins, so he couldn’t find it in himself to be that concerned.

“Fine.”

She reached into her bag and paused. “No, you have to promise.”

“I just did.”

“But you have to say it.”

“Do you want me to swear on a Bible too?”

“Jeff!”

He arched an eyebrow at her before signalling to the bartender for another round. She must have caught on that he was giving her a hard time judging by the way she swatted at his arm.

The whole night felt surreal: her sitting next to him at his favorite neighborhood watering hole, wearing a tight little dress that severely limited his cognitive functions -- especially when he thought about how she picked it specifically for hanging out with _him_. It all made him a little uneasy, actually, and he found falling back on their old, teasing habits helped to settle his nerves.

Also, the scotch. That helped too.

“I promise,” he said, handing her another drink and clinking their glasses together.

Annie rolled her eyes. She sipped her fresh vodka soda and put it down on a coaster.

“Okay just, keep an open mind.” She pulled a section of a newspaper out of her bag and handed it to him. “Look inside.”

“Oookay.” He placed his glass on the bar and slowly opened the two pages. When he did, he saw a dorky multi-colored chart of some sort taped to the inside, and closed them again. “Annie!” he hissed, glancing around. “I’ve got a reputation to uphold here.”

“Duh, I know -- that’s why I hid it inside a newspaper. See, people will think you’re just reading about…” she leaned in to read the headline, “Mr. Whiskers sweeping the Denver cat show… oops.”

Jeff scowled at her as he tore the chart from the newspaper, which he crumpled into a ball and dropped onto the floor. He placed the chart on the bar between their drinks and angled his body to block it from the other patrons’ view.

“You’re so ridiculous.” Annie bumped his thigh with her knee. “What are you so worried about? That your drinking buddies will know there’s more to you than watching sports and objectifying women?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m worried about.” He grinned as she smacked his arm again. “Now explain this to me before anyone sees it, will you?”

That self-satisfied smile spread across her face as she squared her shoulders and smoothed the skirt of her dress. “Well, a while ago I realized that you’re a visual learner -- you were always better at dioramas than papers -- hey, don’t make that face, you know it’s true! So I made you a flowchart of your life.” She folded her hands together as if that explained everything.

Jeff stared at her. “Say more words.”

She huffed and leaned forward, drawing his eyes directly to her cleavage. He shifted in his seat, then flinched when she snapped her fingers in front of his face.

“Come on, stay with me,” she said, laughing. “I’m trying to explain something here.”

“If you wanted me to retain information, Annie, you probably should’ve worn a different dress.”

She bit her lip, a faint blush tinging her cheeks. “I’ll be quick, just listen,” she said, leaning in closer so that her shoulder was touching his arm. “I was thinking about what you said the other night in the library -- how you wished you had a future in front of you to look forward to -- and I realized that you’re being stupid. You need to stop talking like you have one foot in the grave, Jeff. You’re not _that_ old.”

He grimaced and took a gulp of scotch. “Is this a chart of ways to insult me?”

“No, look.” She pointed to the top of the page, where his name was printed in bold blue letters, with three columns branching out beneath it. “This is your old path: Lawyer → Partner → Wealth. This is the one you’re on now: Teacher → Tenured Teacher → Fulfillment.”

“Fulfillment.” Jeff chuckled. “That’s a stretch. More like resentment and near-poverty.”

“Please. When you actually put the effort in, I know you enjoy it.”

“I guess I could concede to that. A little.” He shrugged. “Okay, what’s this blank column?”

She sat up even straighter and he could tell she’d been waiting for him to ask that question. This part was her _piece de resistance_.

“It’s whatever you want,” she said, flashing him a bright smile. “You could call it your alternate timeline.”

“Okay, you _really_ have been spending too much time with Abed.”

“Wait, wait, hear me out. I put that blank column there to represent the limitless possibilities in the future you can make for yourself. If you don’t want to be a lawyer, and you don't want to teach, then do something else. You act like you’re stuck here, but you’re not.” She looked at him until he met her gaze. “The only thing holding you back is you.”

“Annie,” Jeff sighed, “I’m 40.”

“Yeah, you are.” She put her hand on his wrist and squeezed. “Now stop saying it like it’s 80. I mean, you’re not even halfway through life! And a lot of people don’t find success until after 40 -- Samuel L. Jackson was 43 when he got his first big break. Henry Ford was 45 when he created the Model-T. And Stan Lee didn’t come up with any of his characters until well into his fourth decade.”

“I can’t believe you’re bringing Marvel into this.”

“He was one of the few names I recognized in the ‘successful men after 40’ search results. And don’t think I’ve forgotten about your Spider Man comic book collection.” She laughed and bumped his arm with her shoulder. “Do you get what I’m saying, though?”

“Yeah. I think I do.” He smiled and bumped her right back. “Thank you. But can we put the chart away now?”

“Fine.” She grinned, too. “Did I mention you’re ridiculous?”

She peeled the paper off the bar top, but before she put it back in her bag Jeff took it from her. Annie practically bounced in her seat as he folded it and slipped it into his pocket.

***

There was a crescent moon hanging in the sky when they walked home from the bar.

It was one of those perfect June nights, with the temperature on the comfortable side of balmy and a breeze that made her hair flutter around her shoulders. Somehow, under the streetlights, she looked prettier than he’d ever seen her. Jeff shoved his hands into his pockets to help fight the urge to push her up against the nearest structure and kiss her.

“Sooo…” She glanced at him, hands fidgeting. “Those guys you nodded to looked at me kinda funny. I’m the latest in a long line, aren’t I?”

“Long line of what?”

“Of girls. The one with the ironic mustache gave me this knowing look.”

“You’re wrong,” he said. “And his mustache isn’t ironic -- it’s 100% sincere.”

“Wait, what?”

“Well, he started to grow it on a dare, but then--”

“Jeff!” She poked his ribs.

“Ooh, you meant the other thing.” He smirked, dodging her hand this time. “I can’t say I’ve ever brought anyone there before. But don’t let it go to your head -- I chose it merely out of convenience.”

She pressed her lips together, trying to fight back a grin and failing miserably. He expected her to gloat, or at least point out that they were passing a number of closer bars, but she only linked her arm through his as they walked in easy silence.

After a minute, he moved his hand from his pocket, smiling when her hand slid down his sleeve to find his.

***

Jeff flipped through TV channels aimlessly, finally landing on some dating show he’d heard Annie talk about before. When she realized what he’d selected she made a contented sound and leaned her head against his chest.

When they’d started their Netflix marathon, hours ago now, they weren’t even touching. But over the course of the evening they’d drifted closer to one another until his arm was around her shoulders and one of her knees was slung over his. (He definitely didn’t notice the way that made the dress creep up her thighs.)

“What’s this one about again?” he asked, trailing a finger along her collarbone.

“Two guys that help people find out if their online boyfriend or girlfriend really is who they say they are.”

“What, really?” He dipped his finger into her clavicle and she shivered. “Nothing to do with fishing?”

“Wow, you really know nothing about pop culture, do you?”

“Pfft, I keep up with the important stuff,” he said, continuing to make slow circles on her skin. “But, like, emojis and snapchat and MTV? What little I _do_ know is probably because of you.”

She giggled and plucked at a button on his shirt. “What will you do when I’m gone?”

He paused, because he’d been wondering the same thing. But that’s not how she meant it.

“Live in blissful ignorance, I guess.”

Laughing again, she shifted to move both of her knees onto his lap. He glanced down at her but her head was still resting on his chest, eyes glued to the TV. Her brow was furrowed and she was worrying her bottom lip, so Jeff placed a comforting hand on her knee and waited.

“You’ll visit me, right?” she asked after a while.

He turned his gaze back to the screen. “I don’t even own a suitcase.” He could feel her nodding slowly. To fill the silence he slid his hand further up her thigh.

“Couldn’t you buy one?”

“I could,” he said, drumming his fingers against her skin. “But you might not want visitors.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?” She shifted again to look at him, or he thought so, anyway -- there was no way to be certain since his vision had honed in on the way her thighs had parted, leaving just enough space for-- “Jeff?”

“What? Oh, uh, I just mean that it’s your first time setting off to do your own thing. You’re gonna meet a bunch of new people, make new friends. You might not want all of us cramping your style.”

She frowned and rested her head on his chest again. “I didn’t mean all of you,” she said quietly.

Jeff nodded, pretending he hadn’t known that, pretending he wasn’t playing dumb.

“Well, still,” he said, curling his hand around the inside of her thigh. “You should probably wait and see.”

She sighed, but soon the furrow faded from her brow and before too long she was smiling at the episode’s happy ending. Jeff had stopped paying attention to the on-screen drama, because there was plenty of it playing out in his mind. It’s not that he didn’t want to visit her -- he would love to finally leave this damn state -- but if he flew across the country for her it would _mean_ something.

He was worried it would mean him holding her back.

Music videos had started to play -- it must be really late -- but he couldn’t bring himself to move. He decided he’d allow himself to enjoy this, just being with her, until he finally had to let her go.

Annie was humming along to some pop song whose video inexplicably featured sexy women assassins, and she didn’t even miss a beat when he started drawing ovals on the inside of her thigh. He pretended to watch the screen as he inched his hand higher, higher, only stopping when her breath hitched.

He looked down to find a blush spreading across her chest and his fingers threatening the hem of her dress. Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip when he pressed his fingertips into her skin.

Jeff slouched lower on the couch so he could better maneuver his hand that was resting on her shoulder. He let his arm drop and began to trace the neckline of her dress, swallowing thickly as his fingers grazed the tops of her breasts. He could feel her breathing speed up beneath his touch.

It was nice, teetering on this precipice, and he’d have been happy to continue teasing her if she hadn’t slid her hand down to his belt buckle. He stilled, fingers resting on her chest, and watched her fight the smirk that was creeping across her face.

Then she slipped her fingers under his shirt and trailed them along the waistband of his boxers and, when his breath caught, she lost the battle to hide her smile.

They were crossing into dangerous territory now, and had he been thinking clearly he probably could’ve come up with a few dozen reasons why this was ground on which they shouldn’t tread. But then she scratched her nails across his stomach and all he wanted to do was was smooth his hand to the apex of her thighs and press against the wet cotton he’d find there.

He started to move his hand higher but he stopped and closed his eyes, summoning the remaining scraps of his willpower and cursing himself at the same time. She stopped moving, too, and he thought they just might make it out of this without doing something they’d regret when he felt her lips pressing open-mouthed kisses down his neck.

When she pulled back to look at him her eyelids were heavy and her pupils dark and, fuck, there was no more fight left in him.

They both moaned when his lips finally found hers and, this time, they had no use for gentle, tentative kisses. In an instant her hot little tongue was in his mouth and she’d shifted again, straddling his hips and sliding forward into his lap.

Jeff groaned and gripped her waist to pull her even closer, arching off the sofa in search of more friction. This soft whimper escaped her throat so he did it again, at the same time that she ground down on him, and she made the same noise but even louder.

Her dress was practically pushed up over her hips, now, and Jeff squeezed her ass (finding lace, not cotton). When his hands found their way to the bunched up fabric at her waist, she leaned back so that he could lift the dress over her head, and when their eyes met they grinned because _of course_ they were fucking great at this.

He had to fight the urge to high-five her.

She lifted her arms and gave him her trademark impatient stare, but he couldn’t help but lean forward to kiss her one more time before peeling the dress off her. He paused when he reached her navel because it hit him then -- Annie Edison straddling his hips in this tiny scrap of lace that he really wanted to touch, but that would mean letting the dress drop and then where would they b--

Something buzzed.

Something kept buzzing.

Annie was looking in the direction of the buzzing.

Annie was moving off his lap and walking toward the thing that was buzzing.

Jeff hatched a plan to snatch the thing that was buzzing, fly to New York, and drop it off the Empire fucking State Building.

“Hello?” she said into the evil, satanic thing that was buzzing. Oh. “Anthony, slow down. Are you serious? Ugh, okay hang on.”

She covered the receiver and turned to him. “Sorry, it’s my brother and he’s freaking out about my stupid going-away party. I don’t know why my parents decided to entrust that to him. I just need to talk him down.”

Jeff nodded and tried to school his features into something less murder-y. “And why is he party planning at 1 a.m.? Wait, nevermind. It’s probably genetic.”

“It’ll just be a minute.” She gave him an apologetic smile as she pushed her dress back down, and Jeff didn’t care that he was being dramatic when he let his head loll back against the couch.

He went into the bathroom to give her some privacy. She was off the phone when he came out, and immediately launched into a rant about her mother’s selfishness and her dad’s protectiveness and how it was ridiculous that they were acting like she was heading off to Guam when, until now, they’d treated her like a disappointment.

She didn’t stop talking as Jeff lead her to the bedroom and handed her the t-shirt she’d slept in the other night. He even managed to say the appropriate responses while they got changed, making sure to look away when her dress fell to the floor. (It felt wrong to look if he wasn’t the one taking it off.)

They climbed under the covers and he readied himself for another sleepless night, but when he rolled her onto her side and settled in behind her, body curled around hers, her fervor slowly tapered off. A little while later she fell asleep, clutching his arm to her chest.

Jeff leaned in to kiss the side of her neck, wondering how he’d ever let her go.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta: bethanyactually :D
> 
> I thought this was going to be the last chapter, but things got away from me. One more after this!

Jeff had never been a morning person. As a kid his mom always had to drag him out of bed, and even now he needed five alarms on his phone to make sure he got to work more or less on time.

(They were each customized with incremental threats: _If you get in the shower now you’ll have time to stop at Starbucks_ ; _Seriously wake up now or suffer through instant coffee_ ; _Great now you don’t have time for deep conditioning, idiot_ ; _If you fall back to sleep you’re going to have a sex dream about the dean. Don’t bet against the power of suggestion. WAKE UP._ ; _You suck. You’re late. Enjoy a day with unintentional bed-head, jackass_.)

On the morning of the last day of the semester he’d poured himself a finger of scotch, propped his feet on his desk, and turned off every single one. During the two weeks before the summer semester began he planned to sleep his mornings away. It was gonna be glorious.

But he never could have imagined a morning as amazing as this one.

Jeff smacked his lips together as he slowly drifted up from sleep, inhaling a fragrance that he couldn’t quite recall, aside from a vaguely contented feeling. His arms were wrapped around something warm and soft, so he tightened his grip and inhaled again.

He could almost place it, that scent, but he fought off consciousness, wanting to doze into oblivion. He nodded off and dreamed of Annie in his arms, threading her leg through his and nuzzling her nose against his neck.

His hand moved as if on its own accord, sliding down past her waist, where her t-shirt had ridden up, and gripping her hip. He rutted against her, hard and pressing into her stomach. When he did it a second time he felt a shaky, hot puff of breath against his neck.

It seemed to spur her into action, because an instant later she was running her hand up over his ribs and grinding down on his thigh. She muttered something against him that was part word, part moan, and it didn’t feel like a dream anymore.

That’s when Jeff woke up.

He froze, trying to get his bearings while keeping his eyes clamped shut. It didn’t take him long to work out that it was Annie in his arms -- that it wasn’t a dream at all.

She murmured something again, apparently still asleep, and he inched his hips backwards because waking her up with his morning hard-on would probably be considered rude. Of course, as soon as he’d put some space between them he heard a sharp intake of breath and she stilled.

“Jeff?”

Her voice was groggy and her lips moved against his neck and, fuck, he’d never need an alarm again if he could start every day like this.

“Um. Morning?”

“Oh god.” She shifted, resting her forehead against him. “How long have you been up?”

“About 60 seconds longer than you. Don’t worry.”

“Are you just saying that?”

“No, I swear. It was a great 60 seconds, though. Amazing sound effects.”

She giggled, tucking her head into the crook of his neck, and he got goosebumps. It was then that he realized they hadn’t moved, that her leg was nestled between his and his hand was still gripping her hip. He didn’t want to disturb this perfect little moment, so he just brushed his thumb over her hipbone before wrapping his arm around her back.

“I was having such a weird dream,” she said, sliding her hand up to his shoulder. “We were on a plane.”

Jeff laughed and leaned back to look at her, to fix her with his most scandalized look, but the second he laid eyes on her he was awestruck. Because her hair was mussed from sleep and when her eyes fluttered open she gave him this sweet, lazy smile that made his heart beat so quickly he worried she might actually feel it. Her brow creased and he realized he was probably giving her some dopey, slack-jawed look, so he blinked and resumed course.

“Annie…” He raised his eyebrow as far as it could go. “Were we joining the mile-high club?”

He expected her to blush or look away, but she held his stare and halfheartedly shrugged one shoulder.

“I couldn’t say.”

She laughed as he tickled her, squirming for a moment before fighting back and pushing at his shoulders. He let her roll him onto his back (totally let her, he wasn’t caught off guard or anything) and settle on top of him. There was no way she didn’t feel his erection in this position but she seemed unfazed, so he slid his hands back down to her hips and squeezed.

“I think, as an unwilling participant in your dream, I’m at least owed a description,” he said, eyes dropping to her lips. “A very lengthy and graphic summary. And don’t play coy -- I remember your little performance during D&D.”

“I don’t owe you anything,” she said with a smirk. Then she swiveled her hips against him and leaned forward until he felt her breath on his ear. “And you were anything but unwilling.”

He kissed her jaw, mind reeling at the fact that Annie was in his bed, pressed flush against him and talking about sex. (Well, dream sex, but still.) He bunched her t-shirt in his hands and she sighed, turning so that her nose nudged his cheek.

Jeff couldn’t remember the last time he’d had morning sex -- he usually set his coffeemaker’s timer so he and last night’s date would wake to the armona, and it’d seem like a thoughtful gesture when he made her a cup of joe before ushering her out the door. But now here he was with Annie, bantering and cuddling and their teeth not even brushed, and all he wanted to do was roll her over and kiss her neck and ease himself inside her.

Annie kissed him, humming against his lips as his fingers dipped beneath her shirt and inched up her sides. It was unreal, that this was finally going to happen, that he’d get to show her how felt tangled up in morning sunlight and wrinkled sheets. He was mid-roll when she tensed and gripped his shoulders.

“Wait, what time is it?” She reached behind her and felt around for her phone, reluctant to let him go. When she found it and lit up the screen she groaned and collapsed onto the pillows. “Shit. Shit shit shit.”

Jeff propped himself up on one elbow and took a deep, steadying breath.

“If this has anything to do with party planning, Annie, I swear to god…”

“No, it’s this pre-orientation webcast.” She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “It’s mandatory. And it starts in 25 minutes.”

“Just use my laptop,” he said, frowning as she climbed out of bed and picked her dress up off the floor.

“I have to participate via webcam. And I can’t wear this -- non-serious neckline, remember?”

“What’s wrong with what you’re wearing now?”

She rolled her eyes at him, but sat back on the bed and squeezed his arm. “I’m sorry. I realize this is exceptionally crappy timing,” she said quietly. “But it’s important. I can’t miss it.”

“It’s fine, go get dressed.” He kissed the corner of her mouth. “You can’t bail on a mandatory FBI webcast. That’s how you end up on a watch list.”

He threw on yesterday’s shirt and jeans while she got ready in the bathroom, and when she was done he was waiting with his keys to drive her home. On the walk to his car he rested his hand on her shoulder and smiled at each neighbor they passed, oddly proud of their wrinkled, walk-of-shame clothes.

He drove fast and Annie gripped the grab handle as he blazed through a yellow light, but when he glanced over at her she was smiling. They pulled up to her building with ten minutes to spare.

“Don’t forget goodbye drinks tonight,” she said. She kissed his cheek and then she was out the door, jogging up to her apartment as quickly as she’d come down the night before.

***

Jeff got to the bar early, which was weird. He was usually the last to stroll in for any group gathering, but after he’d dropped Annie off it had felt like he was just killing time until he’d get to see her again. So he worked out for a few hours, ate a late lunch, showered, and drove to the bar for a quiet drink before everyone else arrived.

He had barely sat down on a stool by the end of the bar when a generous glass of scotch appeared in front of him.

“You look like Jeff Winger, but it’s 40 minutes before he’s supposed to be here, so you must be an imposter.” Britta grinned at him and pushed the glass closer. “Or did Abed break into your apartment and move all the clocks ahead again?”

“I came here for some peace and quiet before our friends showed up, but I guess that plan’s been foiled,” he said, lifting his glass to her and taking a sip. “And, as I explained to Abed the last time, that prank doesn’t work anymore because it’s 2015 and everyone has cell phones. I didn’t even notice for a week.”

“Jeesh, who spit in your slurpee?” she asked, narrowing her eyes when Jeff gave her a look. “What? I’m trying out new expressions. I’m sick of sticking to the script of idioms that we’re expected to repeat like robot-zombies, slaving away at monotonous jobs day after day until it’s time to retire, only to find the Social Security fund we’ve been contributing to all our lives has dried up because obese baby boomers maxed out Medicare with their diabetes treatments.”

“Uggghhhh.” Jeff groaned loudly and finished his drink in one gulp. “That makes no sense. Never has a sentence made less sense.”

“The Blorgons snorted psychedelic moon cheese off sentient post-it notes.”

He inclined his head. “And I stand corrected.”

“That actually happens in season nine,” she said, refilling his glass. “Things really went downhill after Deputy Yort left. I don’t know why Abed keeps watching.” Jeff groaned again and she huffed. “Really though, what’s your deal? You’re crankier than your baseline level of crankiness, which is significantly higher than the average person, for the record.”

“Hmm, I wonder why that could be?” he said, giving her a pointed stare. She deflated a little and began wiping down the counter. Jeff sighed. “Look, I’m sorry. I’m just, I don’t know. I guess I’m a little out of sorts lately.”

She nodded, putting the rag away and pouring herself a beer. “Why do you think that is?”

“Maybe because there’s no structure to my days now that the semester is over. I can only work out so much -- there’s not _that_ much room for improvement.”

Britta rolled her eyes. “Okay, but before you were a teacher you’d have the whole summer off and it seemed like you filled your days just fine. Is there another reason?”

“I guess…” He paused and stared down at his drink, wondering when the other reason would get here. Then he snapped his eyes back to Britta. “Hey, stop trying to barstool therapize me.”

“Ugh, Jeff! We were almost getting somewhere.”

“Pfft, no we weren’t.”

“Whatever, be miserable. See if I care.” She glared at him and took a few gulps of beer. “I have other customers to attend to.”

She stalked off toward the one other person sitting at the bar, some crusty elderly man with his head propped on his hand who was definitely asleep. Well, asleep or dead. Jeff held his breath as he watched Britta unsuccessfully try to rouse him, but on her third attempt he jolted and shouted at her to leave him alone. She apologized, stammering, and when she slunk back over to him Jeff pretended he hadn’t seen.

“So, what are you doing here anyway?” he asked. “Thought this was your day off.”

She smiled, looking grateful that he didn’t take the opportunity to tease her. “We haven’t found subletters for Annie and Abed’s rooms yet so I picked up a few extra shifts. A vaguely normal-ish person was actually interested in Annie’s room, but he couldn’t wait until she moved out so he found something else.” She took a drink of beer, eyes steady on him. “It’s a shame -- not like she’s been using it much these days.”

Jeff looked away, watching a drop of condensation roll down his glass. “It’s not what you think.”

“Ugh, seriously?”

He glanced up, shocked to find her glaring at him with a hand on her hip.

“Wait, what?”

“I want it to be what I think!”

“You do?”

“Yes!”

“Hang on, since I seem to have trouble following your wildly erratic train of thought lately, I have to ask -- what _do_ you think?”

She set her glass down and put both hands on the bar, leaning in closer. “That you, you know. Finally told Annie how you feel about her and that you two were, like, staying up all night planning your future together.” Jeff raised an eyebrow and she wrinkled her nose. “What? I can’t think about you doing other stuff, gross.”

He chuckled, thankful for the fortification of the scotch. “Well, I kinda told her.”

“Kinda?”

“Sorta.”

“What did you say exactly?”

“Britta, I don’t really want to get into thi--”

“You’ve told her more than what you said in the study room, right?”

“What!? She told you about that?”

“Of course!” She crossed her arms. “She’s one of my best friends.”

Jeff opened his mouth, ready with another snarky retort, then closed it again. He’d never thought of Britta and Annie like that, especially since it always seemed like they were bickering. But he knew Annie looked up to Britta, and Britta watched out for Annie. It was almost... sisterly.

“Huh,” he said.

Britta smiled and nudged his hand with her glass. “You are too, you know.”

He grinned back and took another sip of his drink to stall for time. She had been a good friend to him, in her own special, ridiculous Britta way, and soon they’d be the only original study group members left. And talking to Annie the other night had helped him feel better, so maybe telling Britta about his fears would--

“I don’t want to tell her because she’s leaving to do this big, awesome thing and I don’t want to get in her way. I want her to come back, but I don’t want her to come back _for me_ because if she doesn’t follow her dreams it will be all my fault, and I’d rather be fucking miserable and alone than be with her knowing I’m the one who stamped out her potential.”

Jeff froze, staring wide-eyed at the drink in his hand. Well, that just happened. He glanced up at Britta, expecting to find her most empathetic wannabe-therapist face, but she actually looked like she was… seething.

“You selfish jerk.” She snatched a lime wedge from behind the bar and threw it at him, hitting him square in the chest.

“What the hell! This is a new shirt!”

“I don’t care!” She reached for another and Jeff held up his hands to defend against more flying fruit, but she let it drop.

“Britta,” he said through gritted teeth. “For the trillionth time, I urge you to consider another field.”

“Shut up. I wasn’t therapizing you -- I just care about you guys. But, ughhh, you’re so frustrating.”

“You, meanwhile, are a freaking dream.” He finished the drink, slammed the glass down on the counter, and stood.

“Wait, wait. I’m sorry, don’t go.” She grabbed his arm and pulled him back. Jeff glowered, but she gave him this pleading look so he sighed and sat down. Britta took a deep breath and clasped her hands together, like she was restraining herself from hurling more limes. “It’s not that I don’t feel for you, or that what you said isn’t valid. I just--I reacted the way I did because _you don’t get to make that choice for her_.”

Jeff sighed and slumped forward, resting his arms on the bartop. “What if it’s for me?”

“If you don’t want to be with her, that’s one thing. But withholding information so that she does what _you_ think is best for her? We both know she’s the smartest one of us, so you’re selling her short. Don’t you see how unfair that is?”

He hung his head, nodding slowly. “I hate to say it… but you’re actually making sense.”

“See?” She grinned, standing up a little straighter. “Now take back what you said about me changing fields.”

Jeff laughed. “I’ll consider it.”

***

It wasn’t long later that the rest of the gang trickled in and sat at their usual table, which Britta had saved with a handwritten “reserved” sign. She clocked out and everyone got a round, except Jeff, who switched to water. He already had a decent buzz going from Britta’s heavy pour and he wanted to savor tonight with a clear head -- it might be the last time they were all together for a while.

Annie and Abed had been the last to arrive and Jeff’s stomach pitched a little when she smiled at him, holding eye contact and pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. She sat across from him, with Abed between them, which was probably for the best, because had she been next to him the odds that he’d be able to resist touching her were slim-to-none.

“Jeff, do you want to switch seats?” Abed asked.

Jeff frowned as everyone snapped their heads up to look at him so quickly he worried they might get whiplash. “What? No. Why?”

Abed blinked. “Aren’t you and Annie together now?”

“We, um…” Jeff crossed his arms and glanced at Annie, who was stirring her drink with a straw. “Our seating arrangement is fine.”

“Oh, okay.” Abed shrugged. “I was kind of hoping to see some progression before I left. You know, for emotional gratification after six seasons of will-they-won’t-they. But your pacing has always been a little slow, so this makes sense. Just don’t wait too long -- viewers will start to lose interest.”

Jeff glowered. “Abed, do we really have to have another discussion about separating TV from real life?”

“No, I understand. It’s just an apt metaphor, in this case.”

“Okay, great,” Jeff said. “Oh hey, what do you guys think about _literally any other topic_?”

“Well I, for one, am deeply disturbed by what’s been going on in Guatemala,” Britta said, missing the dean’s dramatic eye-roll.

“Wow, I never thought I’d say this, but,” Jeff cleared his throat, “Britta, tell us more.”

“No, hang on a minute.” Frankie sat forward in her chair and held her hands up. “Why did Abed think Jeff and Annie were together? That came out of nowhere.”

“It’s been building for a while, actually,” Abed said. “You just missed the early years.”

“Seriously? That’s ridiculous,” she said. “All I’ve seen of their relationship is bickering, a 13-inch height difference, and thinly veiled codependence.”

“Yeah, that’s kinda their thing,” the dean said, narrowing his eyes at each of them while taking a sip of his pink cosmo.

Abed raised a finger. “I don’t think that characterization is entirely accurate.”

“You guys, can we drop this?” Annie asked, finally breaking her silence. “It’s our last night all together for a while. Let’s not ruin it by psychoanalyzing me and Jeff like we aren’t here.”

“Well, we can’t just leave it there,” Frankie said. “And you two are welcome to interject at any time.”

Jeff narrowed his eyes. “No.”

“Here, I’ll set a timer,” Frankie said, clicking buttons on her watch. “Give us 90 more seconds to discuss and we’ll drop it for good. Is that amenable to everyone?”

Jeff groaned but Annie gave him a defeated look. “Let’s just let them get it out of their systems,” she said.

He gulped his water, wishing he’d ordered a third scotch after all. “Fine.”

Frankie poised her hand above her watch. “Ready, Abed?”

“Ooh, a lightning round.” He sat up straight. “Ready.”

“Aaand,” she hit the button, “go!”

“Jeff and Annie are basically poster children for the opposites-attract cliche,” he said, speaking alarmingly fast. “Jeff is the cynical cool guy who tries to cut corners, and Annie is the cheerful, tightly wound rule-follower. He helps her relax, she holds him accountable. They balance each other out, but they fight it because of deep-seated insecurities.”

“Wow, how long have you had that in your chamber?” Jeff asked, ignoring Frankie’s shushing. “Also, are you on cocaine?”

“Anyway,” Abed continued. “In our first year at Greendale, Annie kissed Jeff during a debate to prove that man is evil, causing Jeff to drop a paraplegic man so he could grip her waist and pull her closer to him.”

“What the hell?” Frankie gasped, then covered her mouth. “Sorry, continue. Fifty-five seconds!”

“Then, at the end of the year, Jeff and Annie kissed after Britta and this professor both publicly proclaimed their love for Jeff at a school dance. There was tongue and lots of grabbing. Well, if you believe Leonard.”

“Oh god.” Annie covered her face with her hands.

“Forty seconds!”

“Hmm, what else. One time, Annie tricked a whole hotel staff into thinking Jeff was her unfaithful husband. And Jeff tried to coordinate a sexy couples costume with her one Halloween, but they got their wires crossed. Also, on average they look at each other 2.7 seconds longer per glance than they look at the rest of us. And I’m pretty sure they’re sleeping together in the darkest timeline.”

“Don’t forget cutesy capers,” the dean said.

“Right!” Abed grinned. “Historically, they’ve often teamed up for a variety of reasons, from winning a game of hot lava to teaching each other valuable life lessons. Oh, and then there’s what happened in Borchert’s lab.”

Jeff slammed his glass down on the table with a thunk. “This has _got_ to be more than 90 seconds.”

“What happened in the lab?” Frankie asked, nearly on the edge of her seat. “Seventeen seconds, hurry!”

“Well, it’s a long story, but essentially we were trying to save Greendale and Jeff proposed to Britta. Then we were stuck in a basement lab and Jeff got hooked up to a machine that would open the door if he felt a blast of passion. He made us all turn around, and a minute later the door opened. But he didn’t marry Britta, so--”

“Time,” Frankie said. “Wow. That’s… a lot to take in.”

“Take it in on your own time, because the 90 seconds is up,” Jeff said, fixing everyone with a stern look. “Abed, since you’re quite the chatterbox tonight, why don’t you tell everyone about your new luggage and its magical storytelling potential.”

The distraction tactic worked and Abed launched into the tale, even passing around his phone to show photos of the duffle bag. But Jeff didn’t hear any of it because he was focused on Annie, who was staring at a ring of condensation on the table with a crease between her eyebrows. After a moment she noticed him and glanced up. He smiled and she smiled back, sort of, but the furrow didn’t leave her brow.

Britta asked Annie about her suitcase, then, and soon her phone was being passed around the table. Jeff rolled his eyes, remarking that they were acting like they’d had babies rather than purchased economy-priced luggage, but he couldn’t keep the smile from his face when he said it.

He was proud of them. That realization, somehow, made him feel old, so he ordered that third scotch.

His night got a little fuzzy around the edges after that, but they all had a good time, falling into their familiar group banter. Jeff got so into telling Frankie about the time the dean blackmailed him into mall karaoke that it felt sudden when the bar closed and Britta’s boss was ushering them out the door.

They all lingered on the sidewalk, dragging out the conversation as long as they could. Eventually someone in an apartment above the bar opened their window to shout obscenities at them for disturbing the peace and, after they finally caught their breath from laughing, they said their goodbyes.

When Jeff moved to hug Abed he stepped back. “You’re driving us to the airport, right?”

“Us?”

“Yeah, me and Annie. We coordinated our flights so that we’d take off around the same time from the same terminal. I figured that would have the most impact, especially since in-terminal goodbyes are rare in the post-9/11 world. We also came up with a signature goodbye handshake.”

“Of course you two did that,” Jeff said, shaking his head. “Yeah, sure. I can drive you. Text me the time.”

“Cool,” Abed said. “Cool cool cool. So I’ll say bye to you then. Don’t want to be repetitive.”

“Sure, whatever.” Jeff clapped him on the shoulder and looked around for Annie. He saw her in a tight group hug with Frankie and the dean. When they finally pulled back all of their eyes were glossy.

He shoved his hands into his pockets and waited for them to part. Soon everyone headed toward their respective cars, and Annie turned and saw him there. She paused, that crease back in her brow, and then walked up to him.

“So,” Jeff shifted from one foot to another, inexplicably nervous. “Guess I’m driving you guys to the airport tomorrow.”

“Oh.” Annie nodded. “Thanks. That’s nice of you.”

“No problem,” he said. She wouldn’t quite meet his gaze, so he put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Hey. You alright?”

She shrugged and opened her mouth to say something when a horn sounded.

“Annie!” Britta shouted from her car. “You going with Jeff or coming home?”

Annie turned toward the street. “I’m coming, one sec!”

“I’ve got a lot of packing to do,” she said, looking back at Jeff. “See you tomorrow?”

“Um, sure.” He let his hand drop. “See you then.”

She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

Jeff felt numb on the drive back to his apartment, but once he got home this burning, empty feeling was gnawing at his chest. He kept going over the night in his mind, trying to put a finger on what had changed, but came up empty-handed each time.

He tried to sleep but his bed smelled like her, so he poured himself a drink and settled in to watch TV. He looked away when the screen clicked on to MTV.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic keeps getting away from me. One more chapter to wrap things up! Note the rating change...
> 
> beta: the amazing bethennyactually :D

Jeff couldn’t stand it, this feeling. It was persistent, making itself known and constricting his insides as he attempted to watch TV, as he swallowed down another glass of scotch.

He thumbed through his phone, aimlessly scrolling through his Twitter feed while debating if he should call Annie, but ultimately decided not to because he didn’t know what he’d say. This wasn’t like him -- all the uncertainty and hesitation -- and it was driving him nuts. Before Greendale, Jeff had prided himself on keeping a clear conscience, regardless of the questionable shit he’d done and, before her, he’d always been able to fall asleep within 60 seconds of his head hitting the pillow.

But now, his dumb friends at his dumb school had made him a Better Person™ and Annie had turned him into some sort of lovesick puppy, and he was losing all kinds of sleep on both counts. Jeff was midway through contemplating what Abed would have to say about his character growth when he hauled himself up from the couch, changed into his running gear, and took off out the door.

The streets were practically deserted, except for the odd passing car, so he opened his stride and really pushed himself, reveling in his aching legs and burning lungs. He didn’t realize he’d forgotten his phone and earbuds until 20 minutes in, but by then he didn’t even care -- if he ran fast enough and let his eyes unfocus he could feel his mind go blank.

Of course, that was only sustainable for so long, and by mile four -- just as the raindrops began to fall -- he slowed his pace. As his heart rate leveled out his thoughts returned to Annie.

He hated to admit it, but Britta was right: Annie deserved to know the whole truth about what he felt for her. It also hit him that he still didn’t totally know how she felt, which was weird. It wasn’t like her to leave something like this undefined.

Jeff slowed to a jog as doubt swept through him. Maybe what they had -- whatever it was -- wasn’t important enough to require definition. Maybe she was just killing time, indulging him, until her real life began in D.C.

He sped up again, sprinting between lamp posts, one on, one off, until something else occurred to him. Maybe it _was_ important to her, this thing between them -- so important that she didn’t want to risk bringing it up and spooking him, making him run from his feelings like she’d seen him do countless times before.

(Like he was _literally_ doing right now.)

Jeff stopped in his tracks and turned his face up to the sky, surrendering to the pelting rain and to what he knew he had to do. He panted, linking his fingers together and resting them atop his head. Damn, he was almost back at his apartment. If he’d gotten his emotional shit together before he’d set off he could’ve already been at her door.

He raked a hand through his hair -- now completely soaked -- and formulated a plan as he jogged back to his place. She was probably still up packing, he figured, smiling to himself as he imagined her pristinely folded clothes and organized toiletries. So it stood to reason that he wouldn’t be bothering her if he dried off and drove over to keep her company. Maybe, to be safe, he’d text her first, offering to bring coffee from the 24-hour convenience store or some other equally lame and transparent excuse that she’d see right through but secretly love.

After that he’d just wing it -- the rest would work itself out. The main priority for now was just to see her, to log some more time with her before she left, to make this shitty feeling in his chest go away, or at least abate for a little while.

But that plan went out the window when he rounded the corner to his building’s courtyard and saw her sitting on his steps, silhouetted by the foyer light and drenched from head to toe.

Annie stood when she noticed him, gripping the railing as if to steady herself, and Jeff slowed to a walk, wondering if she was really there or if he’d finally gone off the deep end. She let him come to her and, since she was standing on the bottom step, they were nearly face to face. Jeff’s heart stammered at the sight of her -- the wet dress clinging to her body, her mascara smudged under her eyes, and a few strands of hair stuck to her cheek.

She was so fucking beautiful.

“Hey,” he said, stopping in front of her. “What are you doing here? Everything okay?”

She shook her head, that damn furrow back in her brow, so he reached down to hold her hand only to find it balled into a fist.

“You weren’t answering your phone so I drove over, and then you didn’t answer your buzzer so I walked around to the other side of the building to check if your lights were on, and they were, and then I got worried -- because your car was still here -- and I thought maybe you’d drunk too much and fallen and hit your head and you were lying bleeding on the floor…” Her voice broke and Jeff rested his hand on her shoulder. “I was about to ring your neighbor’s buzzer when I remembered you only had a couple of drinks, and that sometimes you run when you can’t sleep, so I decided to give you an hour before I jumped to any conclusions. That was 48 minutes ago.”

Jeff squeezed her shoulder as she took a deep breath. “I’m sorry I worried you. I forgot my phone. And I had no idea you’d be dropping by.”

Annie just shook her head and shrugged, making his hand slide off of her. “It’s fine.”

“Okaaay,” Jeff said, fairly certain that it wasn’t fine. “Now I realize I’m asking this question at my own risk, but… it’s pouring out. Why didn’t you wait in the car?”

She glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest. “Because I was mad at you! And standing in the rain made me even madder, which somehow made me feel better.”

“Well if this is you feeling better I’m glad I wasn’t home before. Honestly Annie, if you’re mad because I wasn’t here when you wanted to see me then that’s on you.”

“Ugh, you’re so--” She groaned and for a minute he thought she was actually going to stomp her foot. “That’s not why I’m mad.”

Jeff crossed his arms, too, wondering why he was so enamored with someone this annoying. “I’m all ears.”

Annie closed her eyes and he could practically hear her counting to 10, or employing some other anger-management technique she’d probably read in a Buzzfeed post titled “17 Amazing and Foolproof Ways to Not Murder Your Longstanding Crush While Standing in a Rainy Parking Lot at 3 a.m.” When she opened her eyes again he found so much anger and hurt in her expression he wished she’d kept them closed.

“Borchert’s lab?!” she said, finally, jaw set tight. Jeff stammered, feeling like he’d been dropped smack-dab in the middle of a conversation. His confusion seemed to anger her further and she shoved his shoulder. “Seriously, Jeff?”

“Okay, I can sense that this topic is a source of frustration,” he said, holding up his hands like he was calming a wild animal. “And while I’m advanced for a human, I’ve yet to figure out how to read minds, so--”

“Ugh!” She smacked him again, right in the middle of his chest, and he trapped her hand, holding it in place. Her eyes dropped to where her palm pressed into him and her features softened in a way that made him hurt even more. “What Abed said earlier, about the stupid lab and the blast of passion and…” She took a shuddering breath. “You’ve known since then, haven’t you?”

Jeff looked away, shoulders slumping. He ran his thumb along her wrist and met her gaze again.

“That’s what I was trying to tell you the other day in the study room,” he said, voice raw. “That’s when I let you go.”

She pressed her lips together and shook her head slowly, dejectedly, like the fight had gone out of her. “All this time we could’ve…”

He released his grip on her arm and tentatively cupped her face, thumbs smoothing raindrops along her cheeks. Annie kept her hand where he’d held it, right over his heart, and looked at him with these wide, sad eyes that made everything so simple.

“I’m sorry,” he said, resting his forehead against hers. “I love you.”

Time seemed to slow, then, except for the rain, beating down on them and soaking them to the bone. Jeff could feel rivulets of water running over him, streaming around his fingers where they met her skin. Annie exhaled and he just waited -- for his deliverance or damnation, he didn’t know.

Then she laughed.

She kept laughing, and soon she was doubled over, clutching his shoulders.

“Um, okay,” he said, gripping her elbows to help keep her upright. “I know I’m new at this, but I’m pretty sure laughter isn’t an appropriate response.” He frowned as she laughed even harder. “This is doing wonders for my ego.”

“God, you’re so dumb,” Annie said, straightening, and he could see her eyes were wet even though she was smiling wide. She held his face like he’d done to her a moment ago.. “You’re so dumb, and I love you.”

Jeff grinned, wrapping his arms around her waist, feeling as if the rain was washing away the ache that’d been lodged in his chest all night. “Yeah?”

She nodded, nuzzling his cheek. “Uh huh.”

He kissed her and she melted into him, smiling against his lips. It was overwhelming, all this happiness. It was terrifying too, but in that exhilarating, just-fuck-me-up way, so he gripped the back of her neck and let it overtake him. After a few moments he kinda missed her (yeah, she was in his arms and sighing into his mouth but he actually fucking missed her) so he pulled back.

“Wait, why am I dumb?”

Annie laughed, breath puffing against his lips. Her cheeks were flushed and her nose was a little red from the rain and he knew that he’d never forget exactly how she looked just then. “So many reasons,” she said. “I’ll email you the spreadsheet.”

She covered his mouth with hers again, leaning into him, her body warming him through their sopping clothes, and all remaining quips fell from Jeff’s mind. He threaded a hand through her tangled hair and kissed her deeply, the way he’d always wanted to, the way he still couldn’t believe was a thing he was allowed to do now.

He could taste the rain on her tongue when she slipped it into his mouth and he fisted his hands in her dress, water dribbling between his knuckles. He imagined its path, cascading down her dress and dripping onto the backs of her thighs. His hands followed that trail, ghosting the curve of her ass until he reached her hem, where fabric met slick skin.

Annie moaned into his mouth, looping her arms around his neck and scrambling to get closer. Her breasts pressed into his chest and her hips ground against him, where he was already half-hard, and he bit her bottom lip.

“Fuck, Annie,” he breathed.

“I know, right?” She shuddered and rested her head on his shoulder. “We should probably go inside.”

***

They left a wet trail up the building’s stairwell and down Jeff’s hallway, especially in that one spot next to his neighbor’s door where he pushed her up against the wall, unable to walk another step without touching her.

Eventually they made it into his apartment, and the door had hardly clicked shut before they were bending over, stripping off running sneakers and socks and sandals. Jeff grabbed her hand and they half-ran, half-slid into his bedroom and collapsed onto his bed in a giddy, soggy heap.

They picked up where they’d left off, lying on their sides as they kissed and groped and generally acted like teenagers, like there weren’t years of longing and angst behind them. After a while their sodden clothes were starting to get in the way, so Jeff sat up and Annie pulled his t-shirt off. He kissed her neck and shifted to roll her onto her back just as she pushed on his shoulders and they got sort of stuck, struggling against one another.

“Hey, stop that,” he said, frowning down at her. “I’ve got plans, here.”

“Well, so do I.” Annie pouted and pushed him more forcefully. “Lots of plans. And we both know I’m the better planner, so you should probably let me take charge.”

Jeff scoffed. “No way. You’re the best planner for, like, school or whatever, but this is my domain. We’re not having paint-by-numbers sex, Annie.”

“I’ll have you know that my plans are anything but formulaic,” she said, shoving against him one last time. “Ugh. How come I could push you over so easily this morning?”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe because I let you.”

“Hah, please.” She rolled her eyes and sighed. “Okay, how are we going to settle this?”

Jeff pursed his lips, pretending to think it over. “Let’s flip for it,” he said. “There’s a coin on the bedside table behind you.”

“Fine. I call tails.” When Annie released her hold on him and shifted to reach behind her, Jeff gripped under her knees and tugged, making her fall onto her back. She shrieked and wriggled against him half-heartedly as he moved over her and pinned her hands to the mattress above her.

“That’s the problem with your plans,” he said, kissing along her collarbone. “No room for spontaneity. The trick is to be flexible and just see where things take you.” The mattress creaked as he settled his hips between her thighs. He rutted against her and, despite all the clothes in the way, he had to swallow a groan. “I have a feeling you’ll be satisfied with the end result.” He felt her whimper as he kissed a trail up her neck and ground into her again.

“I want to berate you about being all smug,” Annie said, “but it’s kinda doing it for me.” She lifted her hips off the mattress, meeting him halfway, and giggled when he moaned against her skin. “I just need my hands back.”

It took Jeff longer than he’d care to admit to work out what she was referring to, but eventually he let go of her hands, ghosting his fingers down her arms and leaving goosebumps in their wake.

She kissed him as he slipped the straps off her shoulders, and when he leaned back to peel the whole dress off her she raked her nails down his chest.

His jaw dropped once he finally tossed the wet fabric on the floor, taking her in while he tugged off his mesh shorts. She was in purple cotton underwear and a simple blush-colored bra, so thin and wet that it didn’t take an ounce of imagination to see her nipples poking into the fabric. The fact that they were mismatched -- the purple and pink -- told him that this was unexpected, that she’d had no plans of sleeping with him tonight, and it turned him on even more.

When Annie noticed that he was staring she smiled and rested her hands behind her head, crossing her legs at the knee. She arched her back and his eyes drifted lower, to the faint outline of her ribs and the soft skin above her hipbones.

He’d wanted to take her time with her, but now he wasn’t so sure, and his fingers dipped below the waistband of his boxer briefs. It was her turn to get that slack-jawed look, her gaze falling to where he was straining against the fabric, and suddenly teasing was back on the table.

Jeff was pretty sure she sighed when he kept the boxers on and crawled over her again, kissing her briefly before nuzzling down to her chest. He took her breast in his left hand, squeezing gently and feeling cool, damp fabric and warm, soft skin beneath his palm. Annie gasped and gripped his shoulders as he took her other nipple in his mouth through the thin bra, flattening his tongue over her peak.

He rutted against her, now completely hard, and she moaned before pushing his head away. Jeff scowled at her, more annoyed than he’d been in a long time, until he realized she was twisting her arms behind her back to unhook her bra and toss it to the floor and, holy shit, he was fairly certain he’d never find her annoying again.

For all her blouses and cardigans, Annie had never been demure about her body. He’d seen a fair amount of it over the years, especially that time the gang broke into Greendale’s pool after hours and, even though everyone else jumped in wearing their skivvies, she wrinkled her nose and changed into a bikini that was somehow even more revealing.

But even after that, after six years of cleavage and tight sweaters, Jeff was utterly unequipped to deal with the sight of a topless Annie Edison in his bed.

She breathed out this quiet laugh as she pulled him back to her and placed his hand over her bare breast. Leaning up to kiss his jaw, she pressed into him, mewing a little, and he finally came back to himself.

He shifted his weight onto one side and lay beside her on the mattress, lowering his head to continue teasing her. Soon she was writhing under him, gasping out these soft, decadent sighs that made his cock twitch. Jeff caught one nipple between his teeth and tugged as he slid his hand lower, over the ripple of ribs and around the sharp hipbone he’d appreciated earlier. Her hips jumped in anticipation when he reached purple cotton, but he ignored her underwear for now, choosing instead to draw patterns on the inside of her thighs.

She whined a little more each time his fingers neared the apex before retreating down toward her knees. By the time he finally tore himself away from her breasts to kiss down her body her gasps were sharper and her thighs were quaking under his touch and he had to rut against the mattress for some relief.

When he grazed his teeth over her right hipbone Annie murmured something that sounded an awful lot like _please_ , and Jeff gave in, pressing the heel of his palm into the wet patch of her underwear until she cried out. She propped herself up on her elbows to watch him tease her, eyes heavy-lidded and chest heaving as he ran his fingers over the damp cotton, never quite giving her as much pressure as she wanted.

He rested his chin on her stomach and kept his eyes on her face as he pushed the scant fabric aside and slipped two fingers along hot, wet skin. This time the _please_ came with an _unh_ and her hand tangling in his hair, and that was enough to get him to drag the underwear off of her and lie on his stomach between her thighs.

For the umpteenth time tonight the sight of her overwhelmed him, so he closed his eyes and licked her, long and slow. It drew this heady, rich sound from her, followed by an _oh god_ , so he did it again and was rewarded with an, _oh god, Jeff_.

He definitely wanted to hear that again so he taunted her, skirting his tongue around her clit and sliding two fingers in an inch before pulling out. Annie angled her hips, seeking out more of him, so he gripped her waist with his free hand to held her down.

She let out this gorgeous, frustrated whimper and he opened his eyes to smirk at her -- to get her to admit that his plans were totally superior -- but she wasn’t watching him anymore; her eyes were clamped shut and her teeth were sunk into her bottom lip and her hands were clenched around the damp sheets.

Jeff swore, sliding his fingers all the way in, and when she arched her back off the mattress and moaned he did it again, and again, until a constant stream of pleading cries were spilling from her lips.

He pressed his thumb against her clit, fingers pistoning, and watched her, awestruck, dying to see her come undone. Needless to say it was a surprise when an instant later she was sitting up and pushing him away, panting as she shook her head.

“Hey,” he said, cupping her cheek. “You okay?”

She nodded and took a deep breath. “Yeah, it’s just that…” She trailed off and reached between them to press her palm over him, stroking him through his boxers. “Don’t want to until…” She slipped her hand under the waistband and closed her fingers around his base. Jeff swallowed thickly as she gave him a shallow tug. “...Until you’re inside me.”

Those last two words had him thrusting into her hand and he leaned in to give her this deep, messy kiss that left them both gasping.

“Sounds like a plan,” he said, shoving the underwear off his hips and pressing her back onto the bed.

He held himself over her and kissed her again, slower this time, and when she gripped his hips his head slipped into her, and it took all of his effort not to slide home. Somehow he fished a condom out of his nightstand and her clever little hands worked it onto him and then he was right back where he needed to be, _finally_.

Jeff wanted to savor this moment but Annie was impatient, locking her ankles behind his back and trying to pull him deeper. He smirked and kissed the corner of her lips.

“Hey,” he whispered.

She stroked his cheek and smiled at him like he was the best thing she’d ever seen. “Hey.”

Her mouth fell open as he pushed into her, inch by inch, and when he met resistance he paused for a moment before rocking his hips and -- _fuck_ \-- sliding in even deeper. At first he kept the pace slow out of necessity, because she was so tight and wet around him that he worried he might not last. Judging by the way her nails dug into his shoulders she didn’t mind taking it slow, and soon she was making those sounds again, the rich, throaty ones that were even sexier than the conjurings of his best wet dreams.

She moaned even louder when he sped up, resting his forehead against hers as he rocked into her. The rain had tapered off, but now they could hear it again, heavy and slashing against the windowpanes. One window was cracked open and a breeze swept through the room, cooling Jeff’s back and making Annie’s hair dance.

Everything about this was a little surreal and, this time, when he leaned back to look at her, she was right there, holding his gaze with round, glossy eyes, and he knew she understood.

Shifting his weight again, he continued driving into her as he wedged his hand between them, thumb rubbing quick circles on her clit. Annie closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the mattress, exposing the column of her throat.

“God, Jeff. You feel-- _fuck_.”

He gritted his teeth and slammed into her, holding on as her cries grew uneven and desperate. He tried to focus on remembering every little detail, like the shape of her mouth and her tangled, half-dried hair and the furrow in her brow that was significantly more hopeful than the one that’d been there earlier that night.

“Annie,” he said, in this hoarse tone he hardly recognized. He moved his thumb even faster. “Please.”

He didn’t think he could hold out much longer when she stilled, going silent and rigid before clenching around him and gasping out a peal of choked-back moans. She was still panting when he let go, burying himself inside her and groaning against the side of her neck.

He stayed inside her as their breathing evened out, planting lazy kisses along her jaw and enjoying the way she held him to her, as if he was going anywhere. After a little while they took turns using the bathroom and climbed back into bed, cuddling together beneath wrinkled sheets.

Annie rested her cheek on his chest and linked one of her bare legs over his. Jeff held her closer, trailing his hand up and down her spine and trying not to think about the fact that he’d be driving her to the airport in about 13 hours.

Then she laughed, rescuing him from those melancholy thoughts. “I can’t believe you lied,” she said.

“Huh? Lied about what?”

“That supposed coin on your bedside table. You totally manipulated me to get the upper hand.”

“Okay, first of all, you were literally trying to overpower me to get control,” he said, tickling her side before reaching over her. “And I didn’t lie.”

He picked up the quarter next to his lamp and held it in front of her, watching the grin spread across her face. Annie took the coin from him, closing her fingers around it.

“You’re ridiculous,” she said.

Jeff smirked. “Spontaneity, remember? Spontaneity is key.”

“Consider me a believer,” she said, nestling back onto his chest. “And you better buy a suitcase, because there’s no way I’m going three months without doing that again.”

Jeff chuckled and kissed her temple. “Tell you what,” he said. “We can run through your first-time plan in the morning.”

“Deal,” she said, voice heavy with sleep. She relaxed against him, and soon her breathing was steady and slow.

He waited a few minutes before whispering, “I love you,” because it felt so damn good, because he couldn’t resist. He was just drifting off when she stirred in his arms and her lips moved against his skin.

“Love you, too.”

***

By the next morning the quarter was wedged between them. Neither heads nor tails was up.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, this is it! Sorry for the delay... there are some call-backs to earlier chapters, so hopefully you haven't forgotten those by now. Thanks for reading and for all the great feedback! I really appreciate it. 
> 
> And a huge thank you to my beta bethanyactually, who has been incredibly helpful, supportive, and hilarious. :D

The rain had stopped by morning, but the world outside was eerily still. Or maybe it only seemed that way because Jeff had finally come out with it -- told Annie exactly how he felt -- and she was still here, curled up next to him in bed with her head resting on his arm.

She was still asleep, tranquil expression at odds with her wavy, frizzy hair. He pushed a few strands off her cheek and smiled at the thought of her catching herself in the mirror, face turning to horror as she saw the mess of tangles. Maybe now he’d have the nerve to tell her she looked beautiful anyway.

Annie sighed in her sleep and rolled over, freeing his arm, sheets slipping down to her waist. Jeff propped himself up on his elbows and swallowed thickly. Now that was a sight he could get used to.

He lay on his side behind her and nuzzled the back of her neck, pulling her close and trying to lull himself back to sleep. It didn’t work, but he didn’t mind -- there was no way his dreams could surpass his current reality, so sleep had pretty much lost its appeal. For a while he was content to just lie there and hold her, listening to the steady rhythm of her breathing. But there was a dark, nagging thought at the back of his mind and he could only ignore it for so long.

She was leaving today.

He’d thought it might be enough, this little burst of happiness, but now that he’d gotten a taste he couldn’t imagine giving it up. With her, he could be better -- he could make something of himself. And he knew she’d say that he could do that on his own, that she’d remind him that her internship was only three months -- that they lived in a world where Facetime existed -- but somehow none of that was comforting right now.

Not when she was in his arms, and tomorrow she wouldn’t be.

Jeff slipped out of bed, careful not to wake her, and rinsed off in the shower to break his train of thought. She was still sleeping, curled up in this little ball, when he went back into the room to put on a fresh pair of boxers. It was tempting, the thought of climbing back under the covers with her, but he needed to keep busy.

Besides, while showering he’d gotten a pretty sweet idea.

After starting a pot of coffee, he opened the refrigerator door and sat on his haunches, surveying what he had to work with. The grocery delivery service he used had gotten this week’s order all confused, and he’d just shoved everything into the fridge in a low-blood-sugar-induced hissy fit. But now, it appeared that mix-up had been a blessing in disguise because he actually had food normal humans ate for breakfast, like bread and jam and milk that came from real, live cows rather than nuts or beans.

So he tied this dorky apron his mom had bought him years ago around his waist -- because he thought it’d make Annie laugh -- and set to work. She always ordered scrambled eggs at the Greendale Greasy Spoon so he made enough for two, figuring he could indulge just this once. He considered making french toast with the bread before nixing the idea -- he had to draw the line somewhere. Instead, he dusted off the toaster hidden in the back of his cabinet and popped in four slices of multigrain.

By the time Annie emerged from his room, startlingly attractive in his white t-shirt with her hair piled in a messy bun, he was humming to himself and doling out portions of eggs and toast onto two plates.

“Oh my god.” She giggled, covering her mouth with her hands. “You look _adorable_.” She laughed even harder when Jeff placed a hand dramatically on his hip and flashed her some thigh. “Wait, wait -- let me get my phone. This needs to be immortalized in megapixels.”

She only made it three steps toward the bedroom before he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her into the air. He tried to sound stern when he growled, “Don’t you dare,” beside her ear, but she was laughing and wriggling against him so it couldn’t have had much effect.

“Sit,” he said, placing her down on the couch. “Stay.”

“Ugh, you’re no fun.” She pouted as he took off the apron on his way to the kitchen. “I wasn’t going to post it on Facebook or anything. Just our committee group text.”

“Oh, that’d be _much_ better.” Jeff placed two mugs of coffee on the table (his black, hers milky before going back for their plates. He handed Annie one and sat down beside her. “Definitely not a weird way to tell them about us.”

“Please, they respond well to weird.” She took a bite of eggs and hummed appreciatively. “Besides, I’m sure they already know. Also, why are there carbs in your apartment? Are you training for a marathon?” She widened her eyes as a teasing smirk spread across her lips. “Are you terminally ill?? Oh god.”

Jeff rolled his eyes as she giggled, and swatted her hand away when she reached out to feel his forehead. “The grocery store messed my order up, jeez. And what do you mean they already know?”

Annie took a bite of toast, chewing deliberately slowly, and Jeff dug into his food like her attempt at tormenting him totally wasn’t working.

“Oh, I dunno.” She shrugged and sipped her coffee. “Just guessing from their reactions last night. Aside from Frankie, no one was shocked by what Abed was saying. Britta looked kinda bored. And Shirley’s been texting me all these kissy-face emojis and responding ‘oh nothing’ when I ask her what’s going on.”

“Huh,” Jeff said, absentmindedly taking a bite of toast and really, _really_ , enjoying it. “Come to think of it, the dean hasn’t Snapchatted me any shirtless selfies in over a week.”

“See?” Annie put her plate on the table and shifted to face him. “So, really, sending them a photo of you in that apron wouldn’t have been so bad.”

“Um, yes it would.” He placed his plate next to hers and reached out to tug on her t-shirt, eyebrow arched. “Although, if photoshoots are on the table, I have a few ideas in mind.”

Her jaw dropped but her eyes were smiling as he pulled her to him, pressing his nose into her cheek. “I’m surprised at you,” she said, looping her arms around his neck and shimmying even closer.

“Oh yeah? Why’s that?” He nipped at her bottom lip, but pulled back when she leaned in.

“I figured you’d think bigger picture. Phones have excellent video quality these days.”

Now it was Jeff’s turn to gape at her, and she took advantage of his rare speechlessness by kissing him -- this deep, wet kiss that had his hands bunching up the fabric of her shirt. Then she was pulling away all too quickly, standing and pushing the coffee table back.

Jeff blinked. “Isn’t it a little soon to be rearranging my furniture?”

She smirked and stepped between his knees, using her legs to widen his stance. “We get to run through my plans for last night, remember?”

And, holy shit, did he wish he had his phone with him then, because Annie kneeling on the floor before him was something he’d never get sick of watching.

It was embarrassing (or would have been, if blood had been reaching the part of his brain that felt shame), how hard he was already, straining against his underwear as she ran her fingers up his thighs. She palmed him over the fabric, eyes on his face, and when she licked her lips he arched into her hand.

“Jesus Christ.” He was panting. She was hardly even touching him and he was panting, hands gripping the cushion as she peeled the boxers off of him and tossed them aside. Then she grabbed ahold of his hips and inched closer, leaning over him, and when he felt her breath on the tip of his cock he thought he might actually pass out.

He cupped her jaw with one hand to steady himself, to slow her down, and she turned her head to press her lips to his fingertips as she leaned back a little. There was this adorable, teasing smirk on her face that he would’ve kissed if she hadn’t closed her hand around his base and given him a long, slow stroke.

“Regret not giving me the reins last night?” she asked.

Jeff gulped and shook his head. “Nope.”

Annie narrowed her eyes, glancing down to where her thumb smoothed over his head. “Really? You think now is a good time to disagree with me?”

“It was too dark, last night,” he said, already kinda breathless, and brushed his thumb along her cheek. “This is something I have to see in perfect lighting.”

She laughed, eyes shining, and gave him a shallow tug. “You just sounded like Abed.”

“Really? You think now is a good time to mention one of our friends?”

Annie released her grip and sat back on her heels. Jeff’s mind reeled as he scrambled to find the right thing to say, because he was willing to confess to kidnapping the Lindbergh baby if it meant she’d touch him again. But then she was reaching down to the hem of her shirt and pulling it up over her head, and oh, _oh_ , never mind.

He must’ve had some dumb, slack-jawed look on his face because she smiled up at him and leaned forward to plant a row of wet kisses down his sternum, his cock sliding between her breasts. “I kinda think I could mention anyone right now and you wouldn’t care,” she said.

Jeff groaned and arched against her, skating his fingers down her back. “I kinda think you’re right. But let’s not test that theory.”

She hummed against him, like she was considering the request, and the vibrations made his cock twitch. Then she was sliding back down his body and kissing the inside of his thigh before giving him a hot, wet lick.

“Oh, fuck.” His hand tangled in her hair, pulling a few strands from her bun. He was about to apologize when she looked up at him through her lashes -- eyes gleaming -- and lowered her mouth onto him.

She took him in slowly, like she was enjoying just having her way with him, and if he could’ve formed coherent sentences he would’ve told her there was no way she was enjoying it as much as he was. When she picked up speed her grip tightened on his hips and Jeff kept his fingers in her hair, just a light pressure following her movements.

He was pretty much willing to let her do this forever -- since, you know, it was basically the best moment of his whole entire existence -- but after a while she started moaning around him and squeezing her thighs together, and it was so fucking hot he thrust into her mouth before his brain registered what he was doing.

She didn’t seem to mind, though, unfazed when he bumped the back of her throat. That was even hotter, somehow, and when her right hand trailed along his thigh and down past her bellybutton Jeff couldn’t stand it anymore.

They must have been on the same page (of course they were, _a perfect duet_ and all that) because Annie looked relieved as he pulled her into his lap, and she let out a shuddering breath when she positioned herself over him. He gritted his teeth and held her in place, because she was so damn wet and he wanted to feel her around him, but even though his mind was only partially functioning he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were forgetting something.

Then Annie was leaning back and pushing her plate over on the coffee table to reach for a condom that he hadn’t known was there. He watched in awe as she tore the wrapper and rolled it onto him. It was official -- she was god’s gift to the universe -- and that thought must’ve been written out on his face because she blushed a little as she settled back over him.

“Your thing is spontaneity,” she said, kissing his jaw. “Mine’s planning.”

“Annie, for the record, this is the best plan you’ve ever had. Maybe the best plan in the history of the world, even, including the invention of scotch and aviators, so that’s saying something.”

She gave him this smug little smile, like she’d beat him at something, but that didn’t make sense since he was basically winning at life right now. When she finally sank down on him they both sighed, and he leaned in to kiss her to celebrate their shared victory.

They kissed slowly as she rocked against him, hips swiveling easy and shallow. Normally it wouldn’t be enough but this was really doing it for him -- he was already so close -- so he gripped her waist with one hand and moved the other up to squeeze her breast.

Annie rested her head against his shoulder and picked up speed, panting out these little cries as she rutted against him, easing him even deeper. He pressed his lips to the side of her neck and murmured encouragements in a gentle voice he hardly recognized. _Unh, god, you’re so beautiful, please come, baby, I’m close, please, Annie, please._

He was babbling but it seemed to be working, because her movements grew hurried and sloppy. Soon Annie’s nails were digging into his shoulders as she came, gasping sharply and clenching around him. That was all it took for Jeff to follow, pleasure washing over him as he groaned against her collarbone and thrust up into her.

She curled her arms around his neck and rested her cheek on his shoulder as they both caught their breath. He cradled her in his arms and pressed a kiss to her eyelid, making her giggle.

“Jeff…”

“Yeah?”

“You called me ‘baby’.”

“...Did I?”

“Mhmm.”

“Huh. Any objections?”

“Not from me.”

“Good.”

She hummed contentedly as he ran his fingers down her spine. “Britta might lecture you about how it’s a pet name that men use to infantilize women, though.”

“Annie, are you going to talk about our friends every time we have sex?”

“I don’t know.” She laughed and kissed the underside of his jaw. “Guess we’ll have to find out.”

***

Eventually, they disentangled themselves on the couch (Jeff had shifted them so they were lying on their sides, and they may have dozed for a bit, sticky and entwined) and started to clean up. They’d made quite a mess, between their trail of discarded clothes and the plates of half-eaten breakfast and the spilled mug of coffee that must’ve overturned at some point, though neither of them had noticed.

Jeff dealt with the dishes while Annie showered. She hung her dress in the bathroom with the hope that the steam would smooth out some of the wrinkles, but it didn’t do much good.

She announced this when she emerged from the bathroom while his back was to her, elbow-deep in soapy water. And when he turned around to tell her it was fine -- she was just going straight home, anyway -- the sight of her in that dress with wavy, damp hair sent a pang of happiness through him.

For a moment his mind traveled back to last night, where they came clean to one another beneath a relentless downpour. Before he knew it he was taking her in his arms and kissing her so deeply that she stood on her tiptoes and sighed into his mouth.

When he pulled away there were sudsy patches on the back of her dress.

***

The apartment felt so empty after Annie went home to pack -- something she insisted on doing alone despite Jeff’s offer to help, because she said he’d only distract her, and she was probably right. So he agreed to head over to her place in a few hours and, to pass the time, he jogged to the gym for a long-overdue weight circuit. He kept his mind occupied by ranking all the ways he’d like to distract her, which resulted in an awkward shuffle to the locker room followed by a cold shower. (Maybe falling asleep on a beach and not regretting it the next day wasn’t so far off after all.)

After he walked home, showered, and changed, he realized he still had plenty of time to kill, so he drove all the way to the gang’s favorite coffee shop near campus and bought everyone a caffeinated pick-me-up to help them through the home stretch of packing. (An Americano for himself; a triple-shot caramel latte for Annie; a mocha-chip ice blended, hold the whip, for Abed; and a fair-trade French-press black coffee for Britta, which somehow took twice as long to make as the others combined, ugh.)

When he finally rang their buzzer he was only 10 minutes earlier than they’d agreed to, which he figured wouldn’t seem too desperate.

Britta let him up and took her coffee from the cardboard tray before he could even offer it to her. “Oh god, I needed this,” she said, taking a sip as they walked upstairs. “I’m exhausted from just watching those two. And I thought _I_ procrastinated.”

Jeff chuckled as he imagined what Annie would have to say about that. “Well, I’m here to help. Or, more accurately, here to sit back and offer sarcastic comments as I watch them struggle.”

“Ugh, you’re the worst,” she said, elbowing him half-heartedly. “Actually, I’m sick of helping so that sounds kind of nice. I have some Bailey’s in the fridge -- what do you say we turn these babies into Irish coffees?”

“Sure. But you realize that a traditional Irish coffee is made with whiskey, and that Bailey’s has next to no alcohol content, right?”

“Pshaw. Snob.”

“Lightweight.”

Jeff had expected their apartment to look a bit bare, with two-thirds of its inhabitants leaving, but if anything it was more cluttered than ever. There were boxes stacked high on the wall beside Annie’s door and Abed’s blanket fort had grown even more elaborate. Neither mess-making culprit was in sight.

“Coffee!” Jeff announced, setting the tray down on the kitchen counter. “Get it while it’s lukewarm.”

He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms while Britta sloshed Bailey’s into both of their cups. A muffled, “Be out in a minute!” sounded from behind Annie’s closed door and Jeff smiled and ducked his head.

“Here you go,” Britta said. She handed over his cup and eyed him with this strained smirk like she was just bursting to comment.

“Shut it.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Whatever. You’re thinking things.”

“Yes. As a fully-functioning humanoid, I’m apt to do that.”

“Did someone say coffee?” Abed poked his head out from between two sheets and, spying said coffee, strode over to them. “Ooh, mocha-chip ice blended, no whip?”

“Yep,” Jeff said. “You’re lucky I’m secure enough to order something like that.”

Abed unwrapped a straw, dropped it into his drink, and took a slurping sip. “I think I’m gonna switch to black coffee in LA, so this is fitting -- an homage to the life I’m leaving behind.” And with that he turned on his heel and ducked back into the fort, sheets falling closed behind him.

“You’re welcome,” Jeff called after him. “You can Venmo me later.” He quirked an eyebrow at Britta. “Is he even packing?”

She sighed. “Who can tell? He says it’s a process.”

“Well the process has a half hour before it has to get its ass in the car.” He narrowed his eyes as Britta leaned back against the counter, mirroring his position, and pressed her lips together. “Ugh, okay, out with it. And stop looking at me like I got you a puppy with tickets to Lilith Fair pinned to its collar. It’s creepy.”

“I’m just happy for you, you numbskull,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I haven’t gotten the full deets yet, but it appears as though you took our conversation to heart. And you both are walking around like it’s taking all your strength not to burst into song, so I’m guessing the sex was pretty good, too.”

“Okay first of all, don’t say _deets_. You can’t pull it off.” He took a sip of coffee as she groaned. “And, second, ‘good’ doesn’t even begin to cover it.”

“Ooooh!” Britta beamed and raised her hand up high. “Up top!”

Jeff rolled his eyes, but he was grinning as he high-fived her.

“Uh-oh, this can’t be good,” Annie said, finally emerging from her room in jeans and a t-shirt. “You two didn’t just agree to turn this place into a saloon while I’m gone, did you?”

“Nope,” Jeff said. “Although, now that you mention it…”

“Hey! Don’t even think about it, mister. I’m sure Frankie and her fake cops would be all too happy to break up another Speakeasy if I asked them to.” She swatted at his chest and then stepped closer, giving him a quick side-hug. Jeff curled his arm around her shoulders and chuckled as he kissed her temple, ignoring the high-pitched sound that was coming from Britta. Annie giggled, pressing her palm to his cheek, and then stepped back, blushing a little.

“Need any help?” he asked. He shoved his hands in his pockets to keep himself from pulling her back into his arms.

“No, I’m all set. Everything’s packed -- I’m just organizing the last few boxes that are going into storage.” She wiped her brow with the back of her wrist and he found it stupidly adorable. “Ooh, coffee! Thank you! You guys hang out -- I’m gonna check on Abed and finish up.”

She disappeared behind the layers of sheets and Jeff could hear them whispering. He shook his head -- they were probably finessing their goodbye handshake.

“I’m really gonna miss them,” Britta said. “You know what this means? The Greendale parents will soon be empty-nesters.”

“Me too,” Jeff said, turning to face her. “But we should probably stop using the whole parents/children metaphor, considering recent relationship developments.”

“Oh, good point.” She wrinkled her nose. “And since you brought up the term _relationship_...”

“Oh god.”

“...I was just wondering how you would characterize it. I mean, driving someone to the airport is pretty serious.”

Jeff grimaced, waiting for the familiar anxiety that came along with discussions of commitment to settle in, but instead he just felt… kinda excited, actually. “Yeah,” he said. “I guess it is.”

Britta smiled so widely he worried she might get a cramp, so he suggested they watch TV while they waited for the others. He even gave her control of the remote -- anything to decrease the chances of more relationship talk because, hey, he was still Jeff Winger, and Britta was still his ex, and this was all still more than a little weird. (A good kind of weird.)

After a while, Abed came out to borrow Jeff’s keys so he could lug his duffle bag down to the car. Jeff kept his eyes on the TV as he handed them over, because Britta had put on some show called “Dating Naked” and, even though the important bits were blurred, it was still oddly hot.

A few minutes later Annie rolled out her new suitcase, along with her backpack and pink duffle bag.

“Welp, I think that’s everything,” she said, zipping up her hoodie. “Even printed out my itinerary. Britta, do you want to say goodbye now?”

Britta stood suddenly and picked up the duffle bag. She started to say something but her voice cracked, and before she turned to walk toward the door Jeff saw that her eyes were filled with tears.

Annie gave him this little pout, her own eyes wet, before jogging to catch up, suitcase rolling behind her. Jeff lingered for a moment to give them some time to say goodbye. He turned off the TV and the lights, swallowing around the lump in his throat, then picked up Annie’s backpack and walked downstairs.

***

Everything seemed to happen so quickly, after that.

There were tears spilled on the sidewalk, and it was a little heartbreaking to catch a glimpse of Britta in the rearview mirror, watching them drive away with her arms wrapped around herself. He was glad they were meeting up with the dean, Frankie, and Chang later so he could make sure she was okay.

Annie stopped sniffling after a few blocks, at which point excitement took over. She told Jeff and Abed about her new apartment and the self-directed tour of the city that she’d mapped out. Abed was quiet for a while and Annie happily filled the silence, but when she reached back to squeeze his knee in the back seat Jeff realized he was probably trying to pull himself together, in his own stalwart, Abed way, and the lump in his throat got even bigger.

Traffic at the airport was a mess, and he’d barely pulled over to the drop-off area before cars started honking, so Jeff let annoyance replace the sadness in his chest and he scowled as he pulled their luggage from his trunk. Once he unloaded all of their stuff he noticed a small, black, rolly carry-on that had been hidden behind Annie’s duffle.

“Wait, one more,” he said, but when he started to lift it he realized it was empty.

Annie placed her hand on his wrist, and all the annoyance and anxiety and beeping cars faded into the background. “Nope,” she said, linking her fingers with his when he let the handle go. “That’s for you. It’s the other one we tested in the store.”

Jeff shook his head slowly and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. “Annie, you’re…” He trailed off, because she was _everything_ , but he didn’t think he could say that without completely unraveling, and he didn’t want her last memory of him to involve a runny nose and him pretending there was something stuck in his eye.

“I know,” she said, pressing her lips to his neck. “So now you have to visit me. No excuses. Got it?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He gave her one more squeeze and leaned back. “Call me when you land, okay?”

“It’ll be late.” She ran her hand down his arm and tugged on his fingers.

“Won’t be the first time I lost sleep because of you.”

“Gross!” Abed called from the curb. “Not really. Just felt like the right thing to say. But we better head inside -- after we go through security I need to have time to get into character.”

“Abed, I hope your LA character isn’t much different from your Greendale character,” Annie said, walking over to him. “You’re already wonderful -- you don’t need to change for anyone or any place.”

“But I have changed,” he said, shrugging one shoulder. “The original Greendale!Abed didn’t have any friends. But, LA!Abed, or, as I like to call him, New!Abed, doesn’t have that tragic backstory. I have y--” He paused and blinked rapidly a few times. “Sorry. This is Britta’s fault. She got me going.”

Annie kissed Abed’s cheek and hugged him as Jeff closed the trunk and carried her suitcase over to her. Then she turned to him with these wide, sad eyes and he knew this was it -- their actual goodbye -- and when she leaned up to kiss his cheek he couldn’t help but angle his head to catch her lips. He murmured “I love you,” and she whispered it back in a soft, unsteady voice, and he hugged her again, closing his eyes as he clutched her close.

He hugged Abed, too, but once wasn’t enough, and when he finally let him go they were all blinking back tears.

Jeff took a long, shaky breath as he watched them walk away. They both looked back.

***

He stopped by his apartment before meeting Britta and the rest of the gang at the bar. As he carried his new suitcase upstairs he felt something rolling around in there and realized it wasn’t as empty as he’d thought.

When he placed it on the coffee table and opened it up the lump came back to his throat. Inside he found Annie’s stuffed kangaroo with a pink post-it note sticking out of its pouch. Penned in her neat handwriting, it read:

_Looks like I forgot Ruthie. Guess you’ll have to bring her to me in D.C. (She gets separation anxiety if she’s away from Nathan for too long.)_

Jeff shook his head at himself as he tucked her stuffie into his bed and snapped a photo. She’d have already taken off by now, but he texted it to her so she’d see it when she landed.

(He wound up getting to the bar late because the bank thought his credit card had been stolen when he paid for a flight online.)

***

Somewhere 20,000 feet over Indiana, Annie found a sticky, folded flowchart hidden in her backpack. Her eyes stung as she scanned the three columns she had created: one depicting Jeff’s old life, one showing his current path, and one representing the future, blank with opportunity.

In the empty space, written in Jeff’s heavy script, it said, _you_.


End file.
